Architecture: Buildings & Precedents

Comprehensive building studies with good quality drawings are difficult to find online. It becomes even more difficult if you have chosen a building to use before having checked sources or done any searches.

Test your choice - how much information can you find? If you're struggling to find sources, consider why you chose that building. Are there other buildings you could look at which feature the same properties?

Try these image collections:

• ArtStor - Drawing and photos. Good for major 20th century architecture and architects.
• RIBApix. - British Architecture and architects. Drawings and photos.
• ArchDaily - Might include sketches, technical details, plans, elevations, photographs, or visualisations.
• Dezeen - Could have drawings, technical specifications, blueprints, elevations, photos, or visual representations.
• Architects Websites - Varied: may be limited; may or may not be downloadable.

The suggested journals above are just a selection of the many journal publications you can access. Discover the full list of journal titles here.

To widen your search use Search Plus, which will search across most of the Library's books, eBooks, and journal databases all in a single search.

To use AJ services, you will need to create an account while on campus: https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/register.

Afterwards, you should be able to access AJ products both on and off-campus.

Try the following book series for precedents and buildings.

Detail Construction Manuals

Covers materials in construction, with example buildings. 
Some titles in this series are available online.

Detail Practice series

Provides in depth focus on a specific topic with example buildings. Some titles in this series are available online.

In Detail Series

Provides conceptual inspiration accompanied by details of current building examples. Some titles in this series are available online.