Field Grey recently took a trip up the Atomium during a weekend away in Brussels.
The Atomium, an intriguing erection still unique in design and engineering to this day, was constructed for Expo 58, the World Fair of the same year. Its iconic structure is famous worldwide and thousands of visitors flock to it every year to marvel at its physics, futuristic mechanical escalators and world class rotating exhibitions programme.
Expo 58 was the first major World’s Fair after the Second World War and the Atomium was a beacon of a brighter future and a shift towards postmodern architecture. Architects André and Jean Polak (with help of master Belgian engineer André Waterkeyn) were commissioned to produce a dynamic and impactful structure to form the centre of the international showcase – it is still surrounded by a number of modernist masterpieces.
The interconnecting spheres of the Atomium provide various attractions and the top sphere affords stunning views of Belgium’s capital. Field Grey were particularly excited about the permanent exhibition Atomium: From Symbol to Icon detailing the various elements of Expo 58 and in particular the glamorous ‘Fair Hostesses’ that welcomed the 41 million visitors that flocked to the building during the fair. Dressed in striking red jackets, blue caps and navy blue pencil skirts, the ‘smiling, dedicated, multilingual’ staff symbolised aspirational, modern women of the 1950s.
The exhibition holds a number of key items from this time that we marvelled at, including glorious illustrations of the women, original photographs, authentic hats and buttons and ‘hôtesse’ enamel badges worn by the ladies.
For more information visit the Atomium website. Photographs by Colette Ayers for Field Grey.