Silo Zeeburgereiland

NEXT, in collaboration with DubbelL, Rialto and Ovium, created the plan for a FilmSilo in the former fermentation silo on Zeeburgereiland in Amsterdam. Five different cinema rooms offer a programme of both arthouse films and larger cultural productions. In the multifunctional room 5 also other cultural programmes can take place, including: lectures, debate, cabaret and music. The FilmCafé is located on the ground floor. The cafe and a service point of the Amsterdam Public Library (OBA) further strengthen of the silo’s public function in the neighbourhood. On the floors above the cinemas office spaces for creative offices and entrepreneurs are located. Flexible workplaces for local residents takes the neighbourhood literally inside the building.

The experience of the silo’s architecture and scale is central to the design. The program is divided into stacked and turned volumes. This creates a series of platforms with a self-evident routing and orientation. Moreover, the turning of the floors enhances the experience of the walls of the silo. The ground floor consists of a single, circular space that is almost completely open, showing the unique character of the silo.