History & Architecture
The Story Behind Expo 58 & André Waterkeyn's Masterpiece
September 9, 2026
When engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak conceived the Atomium for the 1958 World's Fair, it was designed as a temporary triumph of human scientific optimism in the atomic age.
Its 9 interconnected stainless steel and aluminium spheres quickly captured the world's imagination. Following a comprehensive 2004–2006 renovation, its fade-resistant stainless steel cladding now shines brightly across the Brussels skyline.