Douglas D. Schumann Library & Learning Commons: Architecture: Images & Plans

Questions?

Contact a Librarian!

call: 617-989-4040

email: ref@wit.edu

Library Books for Images & Plans

Print books are going to provide fabulous high resolution graphics:

Search the library catalog for project name with quotation marks (Example: "Exeter Library")

Limit results to books by choosing Source Type "Books" on the left. If you do not see "books" choose "show more."

Search the library catalog for architect or designer (Example: Louis Kahn)

Limit result to books by choosing Source Type "Books" on the left. If you do not see "books" choose "show more." Once you have the call number, go to the stacks and check the table of contents or index for your project name.

Search the library catalog for building type (Example: Library Architecture)

Limit result to books by choosing Source Type "Books" on the left. If you do not see "books" choose "show more."

Advanced Search

Library Databases & Journals for Images & Plans

ARTstor This link opens in a new window
Find high resolution art images from libraries, museums, and private collections
Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals This link opens in a new window
Offers a comprehensive listing of journal articles on architecture and design, the history and practice of architecture, landscape architecture, city planning, historic preservation, and interior design and decoration.
Art Full Text This link opens in a new window
Provides access to full text articles on fine, decorative, and commercial art and design well as 14,000 indexed art dissertations and 229,000 indexed art reproductions.

El Croquis Digital Library
El Croquis is one of the most prestigious architectural magazines in the world. The leading international architects choose it as their showcase.

The Library also subscribes to physical issues of El Croquis, which can be found in the Periodical Stacks.

JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Provides access to more than 12 million journal articles, books, images, and primary sources in 75 disciplines comprising area studies, arts, business and economics, history. humanities, law, medicine, science and mathematics, and social sciences.
DETAIL Inspiration This link opens in a new window
Offering over 4,000 project documentations from more than 30 years of DETAIL magazine, DETAIL Inspiration is the largest research and inspiration platform for sophisticated designs and building solutions.

Web Resources for Image & Plans

ArchDaily
News, photos, and drawings about projects, products, events, interviews and competitions.
Archello
Archello is a directory for architects to advertise recent projects, and for manufacturers to advertise new materials available for purchase.
ArchInform
International database of architecture of the 20th century.
Architizer
Platform for architects and designers worldwide to share and evaluate building projects, including high-quality images and plans.
Archnet
MIT-based community for architects, planners, urban designers, with a focus on Muslim cultures.
Google Scholar
Google Scholar is the research arm of Google. Try Google Scholar vs. Google to identify scholarly articles and discover relevant journals.
Hathi Trust
Full text pre-1923 books, journal articles, and government publications provided by research and academic institutions.
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)
Drawings, photographs, and data sheets documenting the works of American architecture and engineering.

Maps

Atlascope - Levanthal Map and Education Center
Dozens of Bromley and Sanborn insurance atlases for the Boston area Unfortunately, they have not loaded any after about 1930 because of copyright restrictions.
Sanborn Maps
LIbrary of Congress online collection of series of large-scale maps, dating from 1867 to the early 1900s depicting the commercial, industrial, and residential sections of some twelve thousand cities and towns in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Sanborn Maps - Abbreviations
Sanborn Maps - Keys and Colors
Knowledge of the keys and colors is essential to proper interpretation of the information found in fire insurance maps.