Brussels World’s Fair

Belgium [1958]

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June 22, 2026

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The 1958 Brussels World's Fair, also known as Expo 58, was a significant international exhibition held in Belgium's capital. A key feature was the Atomium, a giant, 335-foot-tall model of an iron crystal molecule, magnified 165 billion times. Designed by engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak, it was constructed from nine steel spheres linked by tubes. The fair aimed to showcase technological advancements and inspire interest in science and research, reflecting the optimism of the "Atomic Age". Expo 58 helped rejuvenate Belgium's post-World War II economy and remains a symbol of Brussels.12

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construction
Postwar developments in long-span construction
Pavilion at the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair, designed by the architect Edward Durell Stone. It was based on the familiar principle of the bicycle wheel; its roof had a diameter of 100 meters (330 feet), with a steel tension ring at the perimeter from which two layers of radial…
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Pavilion at the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair, designed by the architect Edward Durell Stone. It was based on the familiar principle of the bicycle wheel; its roof had a diameter of 100 meters (330 feet), with a steel tension ring at the perimeter from which two layers of radial…
Read More