Modernika / Belgian Dream of an American City

As part of its exhibitions devoted to architecture, the Atomium proposes as of October 29th 2015 until April 10th 2016, Modernika, devoted to architecture in Belgium
after 1945.

The Modernika exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to (re)discover Modernist and International Style architecture. Taking as its starting-point the legendary Expo 58, with its contribution to spreading the “American way of life” in Belgium, the exhibition demonstrates the various ways in which the American dream manifested itself.
The aim behind the exhibition is to showcase the wealth of architectural creations produced from Expo 58 to the 1980s. Although these works are often criticized because they are associated with the demolition of older districts and with major urban developments, they do include constructions of great merit. The influence of American architecture in Brussels is characterized by unprecedented artistic forms and research, buildings of unparalleled height and remarkable technical prowess.