André Waterkeyn

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André Waterkeyn (August 23, 1917 - October 4, 2005) was a Belgian engineer, born in Wimbledon, best known for creating the Atomium.

Waterkeyn was the director of a metallurgical company when in 1954 he was asked to design a building for the 1958 World Expo that would symbolize Belgian engineering skills.

Waterkeyn owned the copyrights of all reproductions of the Atomium. He was chairman of the board of the Atomium until 2002, when his son took over. He died in Brussels in 2005. After his death, the top sphere was named after him.

[edit] Field hockey

He was also known as a field hockey player. At the 1948 Summer Olympics he participated with the Belgian team in the field hockey tournament. He played one game as forward.