Antonio Sant'Elia was born in Como, Lombardy, Italy on 30th April 1988. His parents were Luigi Sant’Elia, a barber in Como (1845-1914) and Cristina Panzillo (Capua 1848-Como 1922).
In 1903 after graduating from Cantù technical school, Antonio entered an art and craft school the Castellini Scuola di Arti e Mestieri in Como.
At the age of nineteen he moved to Milan and studied at the Brera Academy in Milan with Giuseppe Mentessi, and then at the University of Bologna, where he graduated in architecture in 1912.
Antonio's first job was site manager for the completion works on the Villoresi Canal, which meant he was able to view the hydroelectric power station of Vizzola Ticino. He then moved on to work as building design assistant at the Municipal Town Planning department for the city. He opened a design office in Milan and became involved with the Futurist movement after meeting Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.
From 1912 to 1914, influenced by the United States urban landscape as well as by architects such as Otto Wagner, Adolf Loos, and Renzo Picasso, Antonio started working on a series of sketches for a futurist "Città Nuova" ("New City") designed to symbolize a new age.
Along with other Futurists such as Mario Sironi, Umberto Boccioni and Marinetti, Antonio joined the Italian army as Italy entered The First World War on the side of the Allies in 1915. He was killed during the Eighth Battle of the Isonzo, near Gorizia, in 1916.
NOTE: Between the end of May 1915 and the end of October 1917, the 93-kilometre stretch of land along the Soča (Isonzo) River saw twelve battles between Austro-Hungarian and Italian forces. The Austro-Hungarian 5th army defending the territory along the line Rombon-Bovec (Plezzo)-Tolmin (Tolmino)-Sabotin-Gorica (Gorizia)-Kras (Karst)-Devin was under the command of Svetozar Borojević von Bojna, while the Italian army was lead by Count Luigi Cadorna. In the course of two and a half years, there were eleven Italian offensives and one Austro-Hungarian/German offensive (Caporetto Breakthough).