The jury has decided: Brussels Airlines’ next Belgian Icon will be dedicated to the Atomium
After decades of attracting visitors to Belgium, the Belgian iconic landmark will now also travel the world
Brussels, November 5, 2024 - Brussels Airlines is delighted to announce its newest Belgian Icon: the next special livery to join the world-famous series will be dedicated to the Atomium, an iconic landmark in Brussels. It was chosen out of more than 900 submissions. The winner of the design contest is Thomas Faes, a Belgian architect who wanted to honor the emblem of Belgian architecture. The Atomium was built in 1958 to represent the best of Belgium to the world, which closely aligns with the airline’s ambitions.
The design dedicated to the Atomium, was submitted by Thomas Faes (44), an architect living in Orp-Jauche (Brabant-Wallon, Belgium).
“A few hours before the project submission deadline, I decided to completely rework my proposal. I wanted the design to be truly universal. For me, the Atomium is the symbol representing Belgium. I have childhood memories of it, when on a school trip, I found myself in awe at the foot of this iconic monument. The brightness and mirror effect of the spheres allow everyone to see something different in it. As an architect, I tried to translate what I perceived with the naked eye into a more technical drawing. I am so proud that my Atomium project will soon take to the skies as part of the Brussels Airlines fleet.”
- Thomas Faes, designer of the next Belgian Icon
Brussels Airlines launched its quest for the next Belgian Icon in August, with an open contest. Over 900 designs were submitted. An internal jury selected 15 designs and opened a public vote. Over 50,000 people voted, and the top 5 was presented to an external jury, featuring Sandra Kim (Eurovision winner), Alex Callier (Hooverphonic), Philippe Geluck (Le Chat), Sandrine Corman (TV Host), Michèle George (paralympic athlete), Gabrielle Szwarcenberg (fashion designer), Elisia Poelman (painter), Griet Aesaert (designer), alongside Brussels Airlines CEO Dorothea von Boxberg and Michel Moriaux, Head of Marketing. The jury chose the winning design.
“It was a very interesting debate, and a tough decision to make. All the designs in the top 5 had great topics that would make great Belgian Icons. The Atomium was built for the World Expo in Belgium in 1958, and has been very popular to Belgians and tourists since. Bringing the best of Belgium to the world is a mission we support at Brussels Airlines. The Atomium is already visible in our uniforms, and our logo with nine dots is a nod to this iconic landmark. Making the Atomium the next Belgian Icon therefore feels like an excellent choice.”
- Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO, Brussels Airlines
Brussels Airlines will now work with Thomas Faes to transform his design into a technical drawing that can be painted on an aircraft, and to create a design for the interior of the plane. The result will be presented to the public in Spring 2025.
About the Atomium
The building was designed and built for the Brussels World's Fair (1958), for which it was the flagship building and emblem. The landmark was built as a tribute to scientific progress, as it symbolizes an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. The monument was also intended to showcase Belgian engineering skills.
With over 800,000 visitors per year, it’s not only the image of the Atomium but also its cultural programming seducing the public and making it the most popular tourist attraction in the capital of Europe.
"The Atomium was built as a symbol of Belgian creativity and innovation, and we’re thrilled to see it literally take flight as with this inspiring initiative by Brussels Airlines. This collaboration between two Belgian icons celebrates our shared role in the promotion of the Belgian tourism sector. As the image of the Atomium begins this new journey across cities, we hope it will inspire even more travelers everywhere to experience the wonder and spirit of Belgium firsthand.”
- Julie Almau Gonzalez, General Director of the Atomium
About Brussels Airlines’ Belgian Icons Brussels Airlines’ first Belgian Icon, Rackham, was introduced in 2015 and pays tribute to Tintin, the world-famous Belgian comic. Earlier this year, Amare was presented to the world which is the most recent Belgian Icon in cooperation with music festival Tomorrowland. The third Belgian Icon currently in the fleet is Trident, the official plane of the Belgian Red Devils and Red Flames, respectively the male and female national football teams. These are the previous Belgian Icons: - Magritte was part of the fleet between 2016 and 2021. The aircraft was a homage to René Magritte, the Belgian surrealistic painter. - Aerosmurf smurfed the fleet between 2018 and 2023. This plane took shape during a design contest organized by Brussels Airlines. - Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, a Belgian Icon from the 16th century, traveled the world between 2019 and 2023. |
Nico Cardone