Subject Guides: ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN: HOME PAGE

Key Resources (find articles, books, plans, maps +)

Architects' Journal This link opens in a new window Comprehensive journal website, covering architecture news, building studies, information on architects. Content includes podcasts and films. To access the full content, you need to register from here (if you have already registered for Architectural Review or AJBL the registration is the same).
Architectural Review This link opens in a new window Content includes theoretical essays, detailed building studies, films (interviews, documentaries and talks) & podcasts. "For over 120 years, the AR has provided architecture students an armoury of provocative ideas, invaluable building references and a critical understanding of the social, political and cultural worlds in which architecture sits". For access to the full content register here (this is the same registration as for AJBL and Architects' Journal)
Architecture Design and Practice Online This link opens in a new window A collection of ebooks focusing on all aspects of design and professional practice, providing in-depth guidance and technical detail, and including a wealth of case studies and technical drawings.
Art Full Text (AFT) This link opens in a new window Comprehensive resource for art information, with full-text coverage dating back to 1977.
Arts & Humanities Database (AHD) This link opens in a new window Full-text arts and humanities journal database, also includes ethnic and area studies, politics, economics and women's studies.
Bloomsbury Applied Visual Arts This link opens in a new window Combines visual inspiration with practical advice on everything from idea generation and research techniques to portfolio development in a diverse range of fields including: design and illustration, fashion and textiles, architecture and interiors, film and media, marketing and advertising, and photography.
Bloomsbury Architecture Library This link opens in a new window A collection of critical and contextual ebooks on architecture, urbanism, and interior design. Additionally, this provides the full content of Sir Banister Fletcher’s Global History of Architecture which can be explored by place, period, subject, culture, architect and more.
Design and Applied Arts Index (DAAI) This link opens in a new window Index of articles on all aspects of design and crafts, coverage from 1973

RIBA British Architectural Library Catalogue Search the RIBA Library collection here: search for drawings as well as journals, articles, books & more. Covers a huge range of international and national architecture journals.

AJ Buildings Library (AJBL) This link opens in a new window Image and reference database containing full project data and comprehensive architectural photographs and drawings for 1,900+ architectural projects. Drawings can be downloaded and printed out to their original scale. Searchable by architect, location, age, cost, building type, footprint. Most projects date from the last 20 years, but major projects back to 1900 are included. If you have already registered for Architects' Journals, use the same login for AJBL. Otherwise, you need to register here before using AJBL.
Detail Inspiration This link opens in a new window Image and reference database, containing downloadable project data for almost 3,500 architectural projects. Can be easily searched to find particular project types, locations, ages, etc or to find specific projects.

ArchDaily projects 54,000+ architectural projects from the ArchDaily platform
archINFORM International Architectural Database. Details of over 13000 built and unrealised projects from architects and planners, mainly C20th.

Construction Information Service (CIS) This link opens in a new window CIS provides fundamental industry information and legislation covering all aspects of the building, engineering, design and construction process. Subscription provides access to the core service, the building supplement, and the mechanical and electrical engineering supplement. Includes Knowledge Workspace where you can search for suppliers of a material or product. Registration required.

Designing Buildings - the Construction Wiki Freely available cross-discipline forum for finding & sharing knowledge on the planning, design, construction and operation of built assets. Six micro-wikis, including on BIM, circular economy, conservation.

Digimap This link opens in a new window View, print and annotate maps online or download data to GIS/CAD software - content includes GB Ordnance Survey, Environment, Geology, Historic, Marine and Society collections of maps and data. Registration required.
GreenFILE This link opens in a new window Research index focusing on the relationship between human beings and the environment, topics range from global warming to recycling to alternate fuel sources and beyond.

Survey of London The Survey of London, founded in the 1890s, is the nearest thing there is to an official history of London's buildings. This series provides detailed architectural and topographical studies of the capital's built environment.

JSTOR This link opens in a new window Access to the following: Archive Journal Collections - Arts and Sciences I-XV, Business IV, Hebrew Journals, Ireland, Life Sciences and Public Health. Thematic Collections - Lives of Literature, Security Studies, Sustainability. Primary Source Collections - 19th Century British Pamphlets, World Heritage Sites: Africa, Struggles for Freedom: Southern Africa, Global Plants. Artstor image collections are also now on JSTOR in preparation for the retirement of the Artstor platform in August 2024.
Scopus This link opens in a new window Multi-disciplinary abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature: scientific journals, books and conference proceedings.

Books and ebooks

The easiest way to search for books held in the library is to use the library catalogue. You can search by author, title or keyword. You can also use the library catalogue to place reservations on books. For more information about finding and using ebooks please see our Help with using ebooks page.

Open access architecture & design book collections

The MIT Press Open Architecture and Urban Studies collection A collection of 17 classic and previously out-of-print architecture and urban studies books
De Gruyter Open Access Architecture & Design titles De Gruyter makes a number of titles available on open access, this links to a search of architecture & design books in English (90+ titles).