Futurist architecture began in the early 20th century as a rejection of traditional styles and an embrace of modernity and technology. Antonio Sant'Elia was a key figure who translated the Futurist vision into bold urban designs, though most remained unbuilt. His 1914 Manifesto of Futurist Architecture advocated for an architecture of steel, glass and other modern materials that incorporated dynamic oblique lines over static horizontals and verticals. Sant'Elia's visionary but unbuilt works were highly influential and helped establish the foundations for modern architecture in the mid-20th century.

1. Futurism (Italian)
Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz 1

2. Futurist architecture began in the early-20th century.
• The movement was founded by the poet FilippoTommaso Marinetti, who produced
its first manifesto, the Manifesto of Futurism in 1909.
• Science as a new vision to the city transportation.
• Characterized by anti-historicism and long horizontal lines suggesting speed,
motion and urgency.
• Technology and even violence were among the themes of the Futurists.
Most of these design proposals are not built and are only “Paper Architecture”.
2
Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Sources of Modernism
Futurism (1909 - 1914)

3. Futurism (Antonio Sant'Elia):
• The movement attracted a number of architects. Among the latter
there was Antonio Sant'Elia, who, though he built little (being
killed in WWI), translated the Futurist vision into bold urban
form.
• Example:
– Garnier’s City (1899 – 1918):
• The Industrial City (only on paper): A vision of the new
city, the modern city that influenced many city designs
later on.
 Humble example of city planning.
 It introduced segregation of elements.
 Efficiency in speed.
3
Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Sources of Modernism
Futurism (1909 - 1914)
Antonio Sant’Elia

4. (Unbuilt buildings) electric power station, Monumental buildingS
4
Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
Modernism and the Heroic Period of Architecture – Sources of Modernism
Futurism (1909 - 1914)

5. Video – Transcript
• Antonio sent elia design isn't iterative process that everyone does differently this is a
series about the great minds exceptional work up the Giants in architecture Antonio
was an Italian futurist he had a profound effect on architecture despite the fact that he
was 28 years old when he died
• Santelli a was a part of the Italian futurist movement future is mint art and architecture
was about embracing the coming age
• the 20th century and rejecting traditional representation and for percent tell ya you
translate into a new dynamic industrial a static his drawings were a window into a
fantasy world of iconic and demonstrative for they depicted the cathedral's the
coming modern %eh which lighthouse fortress and damn like in battle its there are
clips tall buildings to calm the clip the skywalks conveyors and modern highways sent
elia didn't have time to build much but his sketches our historic as a linchpin for
change in architectural saw in the mid-twentieth century his work inspired the little
discussed but iconic who keep the future is of Southern California set to Leo's work
also set the stage for derivatives a futurist later in the century with architects like John
Lautner, Oscar Niemeyer Frank Wallace, a row sarin William Pereira, Santiago
Calatrava césar Pelli a more so when it comes to architecture and design progress is
impossible without men and women that look ahead.
5
Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz

6. I COMBAT AND DESPISE:
1. All the pseudo-architecture of the avant-garde, Austrian, Hungarian, German and
American;
2. All classical architecture, decorative, monumental;
3. The reconstruction and reproduction of ancient monuments and palaces;
4. Perpendicular and horizontal lines, cubical and pyramidal forms that are static,
solemn, aggressive and absolutely excluded from our utterly new sensibility;
5. The use of massive, voluminous, durable, antiquated and costly materials.
6
Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
Futurism (1909 - 1914)
Antonio Sant'Elia
MANIFESTO OF FUTURIST ARCHITECTURE. Antonio Sant'Elia, architect Milan, 11 July 1914

7. AND PROCLAIM:
1. That Futurist architecture is the architecture of calculation, of audacious temerity and
of simplicity; the architecture of reinforced concrete, of steel, glass, cardboard, textile
fiber, and of all those substitutes for wood, stone and brick that enable us to obtain
maximum elasticity and lightness;
2. That Futurist architecture is not because of this an arid combination of practicality and
usefulness, but remains art, i.e. synthesis and expression;
3. That oblique and elliptic lines are dynamic, and by their very nature possess an
emotive power a thousand times stronger than perpendiculars and horizontals, and
that no integral, dynamic architecture can exist that does not include these;
7
Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
MANIFESTO OF FUTURIST ARCHITECTURE. Antonio Sant'Elia, architect Milan, 11 July 1914
Futurism (1909 - 1914)
Antonio Sant'Elia

8. 4. That decoration as an element superimposed on architecture is absurd, and that the
decorative value of Futurist architecture depends solely on the use and original
arrangement of raw or bare or violently colored materials;
5. That, just as the ancients drew inspiration for their art from the elements of nature,
we—who are materially and spiritually artificial—must find that inspiration in the
elements of the utterly new mechanical world we have created, and of which
architecture must be the most beautiful expression, the most complete synthesis, the
most efficacious integration;
6. That architecture as the art of arranging forms according to preestablished criteria is
finished;
8
Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
MANIFESTO OF FUTURIST ARCHITECTURE. Antonio Sant'Elia, architect Milan, 11 July 1914
Futurism (1909 - 1914)
Antonio Sant'Elia

9. 7. That by the term architecture is meant the endeavor to harmonize the environment
with Man with freedom and great audacity, that is to transform the world of things into
a direct projection of the world of the spirit;
8. From an architecture conceived in this way no formal or linear habit can grow, since
the fundamental characteristics of Futurist architecture will be its impermanence and
transience. Things will endure less than us. Every generation must build its own city.
This constant renewal of the architectonic environment will contribute to the victory of
Futurism which has already been affirmed by Words-in-freedom, plastic Dynamism,
Music without quadrature and the Art of noises, and for which we fight without respite
against traditionalist cowardice
9
Arch. Dania Abdel-Aziz
Futurism (1909 - 1914)
Antonio Sant'Elia