The work of Antonio Sant'Elia1995
retreat into the future
by Esther da Costa Meyer
Born in 1888 and killed during World War I, Antonio Sant'Elia was an Italian visionary architect who brilliantly anticipated in his remarkable sketches and futurist manifesto many of the characteristics of the great metropolises of the modern age.
His drawings, which are practically all that remains of his work, include revolutionary cityscapes with setback skyscrapers, overpasses for pedestrians, and traffic lanes; power plants that express both admiration for science and a lingering need for lyricism; and futurist stations for trains and airplanes dramatized by bold, kinetic facades.
This handsome book is the most comprehensive account of Sant'Elia's work ever written. Esther da Costa Meyer analyzes his dazzling designs, decoding his "high-tech" imagery and showing how he was...