The Atomium in Brussels got 50 years old
it had to be restructured with stainless steel
The Atomium was built for the world fair in 1958. Next to the Eifelturm in Paris, this 102m high building at the entrance of Brussels exhibition centre is the most popular emblem in Europe. Actually it should have been ruptured after the world fair but it was preserved as characteristic of this era. The Atomium, a 165 billion times magnification of an iron crystal structure, was built of aluminium in only three years in a time where there were neither hydraulic systems nor cranes.
At the end of 2004 the rusted giant had to be restructured. Not even as a building lot it lost its force of attraction. Everyday up to onehundered coaches have reached it. Maybe it was a special eye catcher when it loomed into the sky like a skeleton. 1.000 outer plates were taken off and workers dangled in dizzy height in order to fit the new stainless steel cladding. Today the Atomium is shining like it always did and it is still a crowd puller.
The first outer plates of aluminium have been sold as souvenirs for 1.000€ per plate. Every plate has found its buyer. So you can say that many living rooms are decorated with a piece of Atomium-rust today.
