2. JUNE 2 ATOMIUM Dialogic atmosphere is a space where we co-create knowledge through dialogue, a sense of shared understanding and intellectual curiosity. General Questions: What was your initial impression of the Atomium as you approached it? How did your sense of scale shift when approaching the Atomium, entering it, and moving through its spaces? How does the Atomium affect your body’s movement and orientation? Did you feel small, disoriented, curious, or something else? How did that impression change after learning more about its history and purpose? The Atomium was built for the 1958 World’s Fair. What do you think it was trying to communicate about the future? How does the Atomium reflect ideas about progress, science, or the future? How might those ideas differ today? Why do you think the designers chose the shape of an iron molecule magnified 165 billion times? What does that scale symbolize? It suggests the immense scale of the microscopic world and the potential for visualizing the structures of materials at an atomic level. It also represents a futuristic vision of science and technology. In what ways is the Atomium functional as a building or monument? In what ways is it purely symbolic? Does the Atomium’s design reflect the optimism or anxieties of the Atomic Age? How? What does the Atomium say about Belgium’s role in the post-WWII global landscape? What messages—intended or not—does the Atomium send in today’s context of environmental and technological concerns? What other senses (beyond the five traditional ones) might be engaged when navigating the Atomium? ------------------ Flusser thought from the essay: Exile as Disruption of Habit Habit dulls perception; exile strips away this comfort, exposing the raw truth ("aletheia") beneath. In this new strangeness, even the body feels foreign, pushing the individual toward discovery and transformation. -- Parikka reading - How does scale change things? How does size matter?