Fort Spijkerboor is one of the 38 forts of the Position Amsterdam. The first work on the fort started already in 1886 when the terrain was prepared. This included the replacement of the soft ground by sand. This was necessary as the ground around Amsterdam could not hold the weight of heavy bomb-proof buildings. Between 1894 and 1896 the small island was modified to be able to defend it. Eventually in 1910 the construction of the bomb-proof buildings started which were finished in 1913.

Because of the limited size of the terrain the designers decided to construct a main building in two levels. Instead of two traditor batteries Spijkerboor got a central caponier for three 5,7 cm guns and three machine-guns. Heavier guns were not deemed necessary, since the fort also had a unique 10,5 cm gun turret which could flank to the nearby forts.