Work began on this 10-acre (4-ha) entertainment complex in 1992, on reclaimed land at the mouth of the Singapore River. The design is said to express harmony with nature, reflecting the balance of Yin and Yang. However the spiky cladding on the aluminum sunshades that cover the glass casing of the theater and the concert hall have led the center to be nicknamed “The Durian,” owing to its resemblance to the skin of a local fruit. Fortunately, it doesn’t have the fruit’s pungent smell, which led to a ban on eating durian on public transportation.