Architecture: Architectural Design

Architectural design spans much of the discipline. Basic subject headings include:

• Architectural design
• Architecture details
• Architecture and society
• Design

Bank Buildings

Correctional Facilities

Courthouses

Educational Facilities

Health Facilities

Laboratory and Research Facilities

Library Buildings

Religious Buildings

Transit Facilities

Accessibility and Design for the Elderly 

Arcades

Atriums

Campus Planning 

Garden and Landscape Architecture

Industrialized Buildings

Waterfronts

To find information on an architect

1. Begin your research by searching Libraries Search by subject (or keyword).
2. If the search is unsuccessful, go back and check your information.  Have you entered the name correctly? Spelling counts.
3. Check sources like the biographical directories listed above.  An architect’s name may have variant spellings or be listed under a pseudonym. For example, Ferdinando Galli Bibiena is listed under Galli Bibiena, not Bibiena.
4. Check the periodical indexes.
5. Redefine your search.  Redo your search on Libraries Search and in the indexes.  Look for material on the time period, style of architecture, location or building type if you are unable to locate a specific source on the architect.
6. Check appropriate web sites. Please note few web sites include interiors, plans or details.

To find information on a specific building

1. The manner in which a building may appear in a particular resource can vary  from the information you have been given. Consider, for example, alternate building names.
2. In some instances, there may be a book devoted to the study of the specific building.  Check Libraries Search by keyword.
3. Remember, however, that only a small percentage of buildings have been studied in such detail.  By searching only for books on the specific building, you may be eliminating important studies on the architect.
4. Identify the name of the architect.  If not immediately available, check the Macmillan Encyclopedia index, a city guide or history of the time period/style to try and find this information.  If successful, search Libraries Search and the appropriate indexes by the name of the architect to locate your material.
5. Anonymous or vernacular buildings can only be searched by location, time period, or style as appropriate.
6. When searching by location of the building or work, remember that in many instances the entry will be filed under location first (normally country, then city).
7. Book or journal articles often only show selected works by an architect. Look for books showing the complete works, or books devoted to a specific time period or type of work by the architect.
8. Check more general sources like architectural histories or books on a time period, particular style, building type, or location to collect information about the specific work.
9. Follow the same strategy in the periodical indexes, beginning with a keyword search on the building or combination of architect and specific work.
10. Narrow or broaden your search as necessary.
11. Check specialized resources like the Historic American Buildings Survey or National Register of Historic Places as appropriate

To find information on a specific topic

1. Begin your search by subject or keyword. Keyword anywhere is a very broad-based search, which looks for words located anywhere in the record. The keywords visual notes will return all of the items that contain the words visual and notes in the title, author if appropriate, subject heading, table of contents or  publisher fields. Scan the entries retrieved by a keyword search and use the detailed record display to locate relevant subject headings. The limited subject heading search returns a browsable list of items with the exact Library of Congress subject heading. It is a more refined search, and will return a more limited number of entries than the keyword search.
2. Check related subject headings and topics to obtain additional information.  It may be necessary to broaden or narrow your search depending on the topic and kinds of information these searches return.
3. This same strategy should be used in researching an architectural work, building type or style.

Day Care

Factories

Homeless

Hotels

Housing

Multi-Purpose Facilities

Museums

Office Buildings and Skyscrapers

Restaurants

Stadiums, Sports Facilities, and Events Centers

Theaters, Opera Houses, and Cinemas