Angelina beams notch up 20 years of innovation

10 October 2026

ArcelorMittal was created in 2006 and, coincidentally, that was also the year that the idea for the Angelina™ beam first emerged. What began as an ambitious concept would go on to become one of the most recognised and award-winning innovations in steel construction.

The beam was born from a collaboration between ArcelorMittal and renowned French architect Claude Vasconi. His vision was to create a lightweight and cost-effective beam featuring large sinusoidal openings capable of accommodating sizeable rectangular ventilation ducts – something that conventional cellular beams with regular openings in the central vertical web could not achieve.

Claude Vasconi’s original sketch

A pioneer in reducing the carbon footprint of buildings

When Angelina™ was launched in 2008, ArcelorMittal’s strategy, marketing and research teams were already ahead of their time in addressing environmental concerns. The concept reduced both the quantity of construction materials required and the energy efficiency of buildings throughout their lifetime. Thanks to its optimised geometry and long-span capabilities, Angelina™ helps to maximise building height efficiency, providing up to 15% more usable floor space within a given heated volume.

Angelina^® beams have been employed in a variety of projects, demonstrating their ability to combine structural efficiency with architectural flexibility. At the extension of the Geric Shopping Centre in France, they contributed to the creation of large, open commercial spaces while helping to optimise the steel structure. In Luxembourg, the Enovos car park showcases how innovative steel solutions can support functional and efficient design. The technology is also featured in the INDI building in Ghent, where Angelina^® beams form part of the Steligence^® approach and help deliver open, flexible office spaces while contributing to the building’s overall performance.

Angelina™ has consistently shown how innovative design can contribute to more efficient and sustainable construction. In 2026, it continues to evolve and innovate and is now also available in XCarb^® recycled and renewably produced steel. 

“In less than a year, an architect's drawing became a full-scale project”

These were the words used by the jury at ArcelorMittal’s Performance Excellence Awards when it honoured the Angelina™ team with the Innovation Award in New Delhi in 2008. The beam has also received the Design Trophy at the Batimat construction trade show and the Product Design Innovation Award from Fedil, the Luxembourgish business federation.

As Angelina™ celebrates its 20th anniversary, these recognitions stand as a testament to the creativity, expertise and pioneering spirit of the teams who transformed an architect’s vision into a lasting success story.