Heritage brochure - Atomium

EN

© SOFAM 2018 – Atomium www.atomium.be

the atomium,

the icon of brussels

O

rigin

The Atomium building is one of a kind. It is to Brussels what the Eiffel tower is to Paris or Big Ben is to London. It is the symbol of the European capital’s identity and is the most popular attraction among visitors along with the Manneken-Pis statue. But unlike the icons of Paris and London, the Atomium is not centrally located, meaning visitors do not simply happen to come across it – they go out of their way to see it!

The context surrounding the construction of this unusual edifice — which is not strictly a building in the usual sense of the word, or a tower, but rather a monument standing somewhere between architecture and sculpture — was to host the Brussels World’s Fair in 1958, from April to October. This event was the first major gathering of its kind since the end of World War II, and the optimistic atmosphere of the times was spurred by a glimmer of peace, prosperity — (especially in Belgium, thanks partly to its colony in Congo) — and development.

For centuries this sandy expanse in Brussels had belonged to the Abbey community of Affligem, just a short distance away from Brussels. After all, the Church was a considerable landowner in the Middle Ages. The Abbey used the lands of Heysel for two main activities: stone quarrying and farming, including sites such as the old Osseghem farm, for instance. The ground was originally much more uneven, but was flattened out for the sake of urbanisation.

Located not far from the royal estate which had housed the monarch since the dawn of national independence in 1830, the Heysel plateau, much like most of the Brussels area, remained distinctly rural up until the late 19th century. A clever buying and selling strategy allowed King Leopold II to amass a property of 200 hectares. The king steadily set about upgrading and urbanising his vast lands, giving rise to monuments such as the Japanese Tower, the Chinese Pavilion, the church of Saint Lambert and many more. Eventually, Leopold II bequeathed this land to the State, which in turn entrusted it to the city of Brussels in 1926. A few years earlier, the municipality of Laeken had been administratively tied to the City of Brussels.

The 1935 International Exposition Initially, the Heysel site was conceived to host a double event: the 1930 International Expo and the celebration of Belgium’s 100th anniversary, which happened to be the same year , hence the proximity of Boulevard du Centenaire (Centenary Boulevard). In the end, the 1930 International Expo was organised jointly by Liège and Antwerp, leaving Brussels to take care of the 1935 Expo. But in Heysel, the plan was already in motion.

There was a lot to be done if they were to set up a full network of roadways worthy of such an event. The first true construction on the Heysel plateau was the Heysel stadium or Centenary Stadium, now known as the King Baudouin

Stadium, which was inaugurated in 1930 for a football match disputed between the national teams of Belgium and the Netherlands. With the last three international Expos having taken place in the eastern part of the Brussels region in 1888, 1897 and 1910, they decided it was time to let a different area reap the advantages of such a significant event, especially in terms of urban development.

Of all the buildings erected for the Expo, only five palaces — were to be preserved according to plans prior to 1935, including the Grand Palace stretching over a staggering 14,000m² , which was the symbol of the event, just like the Atomium was in 1958, as well as the stadium and Osseghem Park. The rest would make way for housing.

Expo 58 The economy of the interwar period ruled out any housing development projects, which meant the site was still available in 1958 and the entire infrastructure could be reused. The only significant alteration involved building the Atomium, which displaced the Grand Palace and became the centre of attention in its stead. Standing proudly on the same street, Boulevard Centenaire, it blocked its predecessor, which was hidden behind a sky-blue curtain anyway, from view.

So, why choose the atom as its concept? The atom is the symbol of the science that studies matter. The monument was designed to resemble a primitive iron crystal — or primitive cell, the smallest unit of a crystal —,scaled up 165 billion times! So, in fact, it is a group of nine atoms – not one, as its name would suggest. The decision to build it from iron was based on the intensive use of this material in the metal industry at that time, which had driven the success of its creator and engineer André Waterkeyn.

Its construction came at a time of significant breakthroughs in nuclear research. The idea was to highlight the more peaceful uses of nuclear power. Nuclear research represented an important step forward just before World War II, but conflict changed the focus of all work in this area, leading to catastrophic consequences by the end of the war, notably in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, along with other tragic occurrences. In 1954, the first nuclear power plant was commissioned in the USSR to produce electricity.

Building the Atomium was a delicate process (which took eighteen months to complete), as it involved treading unfamiliar ground. The work was completed just in time: “We pushed the deadlines to the limit. The workers and the site manager left the hall as the first visitors to the Expo were coming in. “ Extract from 2008 interview with Louis Warolus, an engineer who was involved in assembling the Atomium.

“The men worked without helmets. Just imagine! They wore caps and soft footwear. That would be unthinkable nowadays. Construction lasted roughly ten months, including winter, so it is a wonder we did not have any accidents. At lunchtime, when we would go back to the hut for lunch, it was madness outside the only lift. Some would climb down like monkeys to save time. We would give them a good telling off, of course!” (Extract from 2008 interview with Louis Warolus).

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rchitecture and decor

The idea was conceived by engineer André Waterkeyn. The practical part of putting it together, however, was entrusted to two brothers: architects André and Jean Polak. The duo also drew the blueprints for several of Brussels’ most famous buildings, such as the three towers of the World Trade Centre near Brussels North train station, or the Innovation stores, an emblematic part of the capital’s Rue Neuve high street.

The edifice is supported by three pillars and comprises nine stainless steel spheres joined together by twenty tubes. It towers up to 102m high, with the spheres measuring an impressive 18m in diameter with an overall weight of 2,400 tons. After its renovation, with stainless steel plates, it weighs 2,500 tons.

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tinerary and detours

The 1958 Expo , locally known as Expo ‘58, was an international statement like all other Expos, offering a window into the technological and industrial reality of their respective countries, representing states, international institutions and private organisations. This Expo hosted installations by 53 countries across a surface area of 200 hectares (just under 495 acres), and welcomed 42 million visitors over its 186-day duration. To date, it is the last international Expo to have been held in Belgium.

Conceiving the Atomium took inventiveness and prowess. The lift, for instance, running up the central tube, became the fastest in Europe, reaching a speed of 5m per second to take visitors to the top in just 23 seconds.

Initially, most of the spheres focused on the theme of nuclear energy, like a sort of museum. Here, nuclear power was presented in the best light, proudly anticipating the progress it represented. So it was that the slogan chosen for the event translates as: “ Balance sheet for a more human world.”

As was the case with many constructions that emerged for the 1958 Expo, the Atomium was intended to be a temporary icon and was supposed to disappear once it ended. But its success and popularity helped to keep it in place. In the 1990s, there was once again talk of it being knocked down due to its somewhat dilapidated condition. From 2004 to 2006, work was undertaken to restore the piece out of respect for its value as heritage.

This included tasks such as making it more comfortable inside, fitting insulation, illumination and replacing the cladding on the spheres—... The mission was entrusted to a team of over 200 skilled professionals from all across the globe, who took down the aluminium sheets and replaced them with stainless steel cladding, an enterprise that took 22 months to complete.

Since the 1958 Expo, the Heysel site has kept on developing to gradually become an important business and leisure centre, now hosting the Trade Mart, a commercial complex exclusively for professionals, a new Planetarium, Heysel metro station, Bruparck theme park, which includes Mini-Europe , Océade water park and the Kinepolis cinema complex, several new palaces, and more.

The lower part of the Atomium is currently dedicated to a permanent exhibition explaining the context of 1958, while temporary exhibitions are hosted on the higher levels. The ball at the top offers visitors a panoramic view over the surrounding area, as well as refreshments. The Boules des Enfants or Children’s Ball hosts educational activities for schools, where visitors can even spend the night.

The ADAM – Brussels Design Museum, an initiative inspired and financed by the Atomium, features a unique plastic design collection running from the Golden Sixties to the present day to shine the spotlight on design in every possible form.

Waiting for night to fall is a worthwhile experience to see the Atomium lit up by 2970 LED lamps.

For several years now, the authorities have contemplated a thorough overhaul in the Heysel area to create a hub for human, economic, business, tourist, cultural, leisure and residential development called “Neo “.

www.visit.brussels copyright: Archives de la Ville de Bruxelles