Zeeburgereiland silo becomes a cinema from November

After two years of building work, the first of the three silos on Zeeburgereiland is about to open to the public.

It is the westernmost tower, where sewage water was treated until the early 2000s, and it is being turned into a cinema.

The building still looks far from finished, but project developer Jurgen Dingemans says the opening is certain: “From November, Rialto really opens its doors and you can come here to see a film.

That promise stands.”

Five screens and a rooftop bar

The silo will hold five cinema screens, a café, a rooftop bar and offices.

Standing on the ground floor, Dingemans points out the layout: “Down there at the end you’ll buy your tickets, and at the back on the right you go through to the screens.” Work is still going on all around him, but he says he is confident: “Many people have been working hard here for two years, with blood, sweat and tears, so I have faith in it.”

From empty towers to a new use

The silos stood empty for years.

The city did not want the distinctive towers demolished, so it held a competition for ideas, which drew proposals ranging from vertical escape rooms to huge chocolate swimming pools.

Work to convert the towers and make them taller began in September 2024. There will be no chocolate pools.

The silos will instead house a cinema, offices, a gym and several places to eat and drink.

If you enjoy catching films across the city, take a look at our guide to movie theatres in Amsterdam.

Source: AT5