Background
Antonio Sant'Elia was born in Como, Lombardy.
Antonio Sant'Elia was born in Como, Lombardy.
Brera Academy.
He left behind almost no completed works of architecture and is primarily remembered for his bold sketches and influence on modern architecture. A builder by training, he opened a design office in Milan in 1912 and became involved with the Futurist movement. A nationalist as well as an irredentist, Sant'Elia joined the Italian army as Italy entered World War I in 1915.
He was killed during the Eighth Battle of the Isonzo, near Gorizia. Many of these drawings were displayed at the only exhibition of the Nuove Tendenze group (of which he was a member) exhibition in May/June 1914 at the "Famiglia Artistica" gallery. Today, some of these drawings are on permanent display at Como's art gallery (Pinacoteca).
His extremely influential designs featured vast monolithic skyscraper buildings with terraces, bridges and aerial walkways that embodied the sheer excitement of modern architecture and technology. Even in this excitement for technology and modernity, in Sant'Elia's monumentalism, however, can be found elements of Art Nouveau architect Giuseppe Sommaruga. Though most of his designs were never built but his futurist vision has influenced many.
Among architects he is cited as a forerunner to John Portman and Helmut Jahn. Filmmakers such as Fritz Lang's 1927 film, Metropolis and Ridley Scott's 1982 Hollywood movie, Blade Runner also show his influence.