This book publishes the final scholarly work by the distinguished Soviet and Russian architect Ilya Lezhava. It reflects his view on the essence of architecture and the work of an architect through the prism of multiple aspects, and brings together the ideas he carried throughout his life. The author outlines his beliefs regarding the future of architecture and his concept of the city of the future, drawing on the renowned theory of the new element of settlement, which he co-authored. He also explores the interaction between external and internal form, form and function, the significance of time, the concept of creativity, and the process of creating objective reality. This publication is intended for architects, historians of urban planning and architecture, specialists in related fields, students of architecture schools, and anyone interested.