The Atomium is a landmark modernist building in Brussels, Belgium, originally constructed as the centerpiece of the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair (Expo 58). Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn and the architects André and Jean Polak as a tribute to scientific progress, as well as to symbolize Belgian engineering skills at the time, it is located on the Heysel/Heizel Plateau in Laeken (northern part of the City of Brussels), where the exhibition took place. It is the city’s most popular tourist attraction, and serves as a museum, an art centre and a cultural destination.
The Atomium stands 102 meters (335 ft) tall, making it one of the tallest structures in Belgium. Its nine 18-meter-diameter (59 ft) stainless steel clad spheres are connected in the shape of a unit cell that could represent an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. Steel tubes connecting the spheres enclose stairs, escalators and a lift (in the central, vertical tube) to allow access to the six visitable spheres, which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces. The top sphere includes a restaurant with a panoramic view of Brussels.
The construction of the Atomium was a technical feat. In January 1955, a first project was presented by the engineer André Waterkeyn, director of the economic department at Fabrimétal, the Federation of Companies in the Metal Fabricating Industry (now known as Agoria). The architects André and Jean Polak were responsible for the concept’s architectural transposition, drawing up numerous sketches in the process. The company received assistance from the consulting engineers Artémy S. Joukoff and André Beckers, who were supported by the V. Daniel design office. Construction of the foundations began in March 1956 and the building, erected by the Jambes-Namur Construction Workshops, was completed less than a month before the inauguration of Expo 58, on April 17, 1958.
Originally, the Atomium was intended to be a temporary structure, designed to last only for the duration of Expo 58. However, its immense popularity and success led to it being preserved and becoming a major landmark of Brussels and Belgium. Due to its temporary nature, the building required a major restoration, which took place from 2004 to 2006. The renovation included replacing the aging aluminum cladding with new stainless steel panels and modernizing the interior spaces. Today, the Atomium remains a popular tourist attraction, housing permanent and temporary exhibitions and offering a panoramic view of the city from its uppermost sphere.
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