Research Tips & Tools

Architecture Guide:

Finding Information About Buildings

Identifying the Building

There are numerous sources in the Architecture Library and from the Architecture Library Home Page that will help you to find information about a specific building.The first step requires you to find basic information, including the architect’s name, the date the building was constructed, and definitions of unknown architectural terms.The following sources should be consulted: 

Grove’s Dictionary of Art 
(ARCH REF N31 D5 1996)
The best source for identifying a building. Grove’s Includes articles on major architects, buildings and building styles. index volume to find references. Bibliographies are included, but no list of buildings is given under an individual architect’s name
Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals 
The Avery Index is an index to periodicals (discussed below) but also serves to help identify buildings, architects, and dates. Try a keyword search under the building title. 
Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects 
New York: Free Press, 19824 vols.
(ARCH REF NA40 M25 1982)
Each entry for an architect includes lists of buildings and projects with dates. Volume 4 contains an Index to Works where buildings, projects and other structures are listed by their most commonly known names. Useful for buildings designed before 1982.
History of World Architecture (Series). 
New York: Abrams, 1971-1980.14 vols.
(Call numbers vary: all are found in ARCH REF)
This series covers major periods of architecture in both the Western and non-Western world. Consult the Architecture Librarian or the HELIN system for the appropriate volume.
Dictionary of Architecture and Construction
Ed. by Cyril M. Harris.New York: McGraw-Hill, 1993.
(ARCH REF NA31 H32 1993)
Use to define architectural terms as well as styles and periods in the history of architecture.

Searching HELIN 

After you have thoroughly identified your building by locating it’s correct title, architect and date, a general search should be done in the HELIN system. The HELIN system includes records of over 3 million titles owned by the eight libraries in the Rhode Island HELIN consortium. HELIN also allows you to borrow books from the member libraries using the Request function.

Try a Word search in the HELIN catalog using the name of the architect, the title of the building, or the type of building. Generally there are few books found under a building’s title unless the building is fairly well known and someone has written a book solely about that building. If you do a Subject search you need to enter the exact Library of Congress subject heading. The library staff can assist you with determining the exact LC heading. If you do not receive any results from your search, consult the library staff. 

Examples of search terms might be: 

Leon Battista
San Andrea, Mantua 
Mantua, Italy 
Churches--Italy 

The Library has numerous bibliographies that can expand your search by offering additional titles.To find these search your subject terms in combination with the term bibliographies. 

Searching the Periodical Literature

Searching the periodical literature is essential to find the most current information about a building including plan, section and elevation drawings. The Architecture Library provides a variety of both print and electronic indexes in architecture, art and historic preservation, some of which are described below. Each index will require similar search terms. Consult the staff for help in searching the indexes.

Avery Index to Architecture Periodicals

The Avery Index indexes the greatest number of architecture periodicals. The online index is the easiest version to use and includes retrospective articles back to the 1800s.

COVERAGE: All major architecture journals, both international and U.S., 18??-present

ACCESS: By keyword, subject, architect, location, building type, author

NOTE: Keyword searches are most successful

Art Abstracts 

The Library subscribes to the online version updating the former Art Index. For articles before 1984 see the Art Index Retrospective below. An abstract (summary) is given for some articles indexed.

COVERAGE: Major art and architecture journals; emphasis on U.S., 1984-present. 

ACCESS: By building title, subject, architect, building type, author’s name

Art Index Retrospective 

An online version of the former Art Index.

COVERAGE: Major art and architecture journals; emphasis on U.S., 1929-1984.

ACCESS: Same as Art Abstracts.

RIBA Online Catalog

The Royal Institute of British Architects’ online catalog includes a complete index of periodical articles held in the RIBA Library. 

COVERAGE: 1973 to present. International focus.

ACCESS: By building title, subject, architect, location, building type, author

Locating Periodical Articles

Periodical articles may be located in periodicals owned by RWU or from other schools through interlibrary loan. After compiling a list or print-out of articles on your topic, check the RWU online journals holdings.  If RWU does not own or have online access to the periodical, ask a librarian for advice on where to find it. The RWU librarians can tell you if any other library, such as RISD or Brown, might own the periodical. Remember to save the full citation of the article from the index, as this will be necessary when requesting from another library.