• All Research Guides

• Contents of This Guide
• Dictionaries/Encyclopedias
• Databases for Articles+
• Databases for Books+
• Key Websites
• People & Associations
• Images & Plans
• Building Codes
• Graphic Standards

• Related Topics
• ARTstor Image Database
  
• Building Oregon: Oregon & Pacific Northwest
  
• Univ. of Oregon Architecture
• Green Architecture
  
• Historic Preservation
• Landscape Architecture

Architecture Research Guide

This guide lists basic resources for finding information in architecture. For more assistance, contact Ed Teague, subject specialist for architectural areas. The Architecture and Allied Arts Library is the primary service point for collections and services in this area.

Starting your research

Dictionaries and encyclopedias can be good starting places for research. The information they provide ranges from basic facts to scholarly articles. These reference works can assist in refining the scope of a paper or topic. Many (print and online) have bibliographies or links that can lead to further useful information. Representative titles are listed below. Click on print titles (with call numbers) to identify location and availability.

Online Resources:

• Oxford Reference Online provides full-text of
• Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture
• Dictionary of Modern Design
  
• Oxford Dictionary of the Renaissance
• Oxford Companion to Western Art
• Grove Art Online, the most extensive art and architecture encyclopedia, accesses scholarly articles which are usually supplemented with bibliographies. Provides links to images.

Print Resources (linked to the UO Catalog)

• Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture. [NA680 . P53 2004]. Oversized world survey rich in illustrations.
• Contemporary Architects [NA680 .C625 1994]. An example of a specialized biographical encyclopedia.
• Encyclopedia of Architecture, Design, Construction, and Engineering [NA31 .E59 1988 v.1-5]
  This five volume set covers all facets of architecture.
• Penguin Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture 5th ed. [NA31 .F55 1998]
  Standard, one-volume compendium.
  

Finding books

• UO Library Catalog . Find books and other cataloged materials owned by the UO Libraries through keyword, subject, title, and author searching in this database.
• Summit. Summit is the catalog of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a consortium of regional libraries whose members include UO, Oregon State University, Portland State University, and others.
• WorldCat. This database records library holdings from around the world.

Finding articles

Top indexes for finding articles on architecture are listed below. Use an index to find articles in journals, newspapers, or magazines. Once you have retrieved a citation, verify that UO has the journal that holds the article. Do this by clicking the FindText button which appears along with citations or search the UO Catalog. More about: FindText.

• Avery Index to Architecture Periodicals.
  Indexes more than 2,000 periodicals published worldwide on architecture, city planning, interior design and historic preservation. Coverage is from the 1930s (with selective coverage dating back to the 1860s) to the present.
• RIBA Library Catalogue.
  Catalog of the Royal Institute of British Architects Library includes an index to 300 architectural periodicals. A freely available, but less comprehensive alternative to the Avery Index
• Newspaper indexes are good sources for finding local architectural information.
• Web of Science. Web version of Arts & Humanities Citation Index, Social Sciences Citation Index and Science Citation Index; covers 5,300 major Science and Engineering journals, 1,700 Social Science journals and 1,100 Arts and Humanities journals. Major feature: Cited reference searching retrieves papers that have referenced earlier works by a specific author.

Finding Web resources

Several excellent gateways/portals to architectural Web resources have been created to identify the best sites among thousands available. Among the best:

• archINFORM's Archiplanet International Architecture Database. Includes information on more than 18000 works with emphasis on modern architecture. Usually includes a bibliography.
  
• BuildingGreen.com . Brings together three information resources into one powerful online tool, putting the knowledge you need right on your desktop. Articles, reviews, and news from Environmental Building News (EBN) are integrated with product listings from the GreenSpec products directory and project case studies from the High-Performance Buildings Database.
• Architecture.com. Web portal, 'all about architecture', maintained by the Royal Institute of British Architects.
• The online periodical ArchitectureWeek provides, in addition to architectural news, information about competitions, conferences, links to images, product info, and a searchable index to architectural firms.
  

Finding people and associations

• ProFile is an online searchable directory of architectural firms which provides, in addition to basic address information, details about the firm's principals and projects and website links when available.
• American Institute of Architects
• AIA Portland, AIA Southwestern Oregon (includes Eugene), AIA Seattle
• Blue Book of Building and Construction provides a directory of architects and builders by region, and much more.
• Oregon Board of Architect Examiners provides searchable databases of registered firms and architects.
   

Finding Images, Plans

Some sources for plans and images of architecture:

• ARTStor, over 110,000 architectural images including Quick Time panoramas for over 900 works. The database provides access to 7500,000 images
  
• UO Library's Art & Architecture Images Collection provides access to thousands of images acquired or created for use by the University of Oregon community. Over 22,000 architectural images.
  
• Digital Sanborn Maps (Oregon)
• Digital Images of Architecture
• Great Buildings Collection Online has a great core collection of images
• Grove Art Online provides online access to hundreds of art and architecture images
• Sears Home Archive. From 1908–1940, Sears, Roebuck and Company sold more than 100,000 homes through their mail-order Modern Homes program
• Google's Image Search, Google Earth, and Google Maps (with street view) can be useful tools to find images or verify building information
  

Finding codes & standards

• Oregon Building Codes. The Oregon Structural Specialty Code (2004, 2007), Oregon Mechanical Specialty Code (2004, 2007), and the Oregon Residential Specialty Code (2005) are accessible online from the site,
• International Building Codes. This predefined search leads to the UO Library Catalog keyword search screen; enter 'submit search' for a list of titles.
• Eugene City Code. Includes Chapter 9, Land Use Code.
• Portland City Code
• LEED--EB for existing buildings : reference guide. Washington, DC : U.S. Green Building Council, c2006. AAA REF TH880 .L443 2006
• New construction reference guide version 2.2.2nd ed.Washington, D.C. : U.S. Green Building Council, 2006.
• LEED--CI for commercial interiors : reference guide. Version 2.0, 3rd ed. Washington, DC : U.S. Green Building Council , c2006. AAA REF TH880 .L44 2006
• Core & shell development, version 2.0 : reference guide. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Green Building Council, 2006. AAA REF NA2542.36 .U8 2006

Finding graphic standards

• Architectural Graphic Standards. TH2031 .R35 2000
• Interior Graphic Standards. TH2031 .M34 2003
• Time Saver Standards for Building Types. NA2760 .D42 2001
• Time Saver Standards for Interior Design and Space Planning. NK2110 .T48 2001
• Consult Graphic and Design Standards to identify a variety of standards by topic.