This lecture examines the defining principles and visual language of Futurist architecture, focusing on concepts such as dynamism, speed, technological progress, modernity, simultaneity, and ephemerality. It compares Futurism with other influential architectural movements of the early twentieth century and analyses Antonio Sant'Elia's visionary drawings to illustrate the movement's formal characteristics. The lecture concludes by connecting Futurist ideas to contemporary high-tech architecture and setting the stage for a closer study of Sant'Elia's life and work.