This subject category lists recommended databases covering architecture, art, and design. Many provide full-text sources, otherwise use the citations they provide to request copies via your local library's interlibrary loan service.
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Art & Architecture Thesaurus from GettyThe AAT is a structured vocabulary of around 34,000 concepts, including 131,000 terms, descriptions, bibliographic citations, and other information relating to fine art, architecture, decorative arts, archival materials, and material culture. Use terms located here for searches in other databases.
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BHA and RILA from GettyThe Répertoire international de la littérature de l'art (RILA) indexed citations on visual art materials from 1975 to 1989. In 1990, RILA merges with Répertoire d'art et d'archéologie to form the Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA). That index continued until 2007. For newer citations, use the ARTbibliographies Modern database.
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Construction Criteria Base (CCB) from the National Institute of Building SciencesConstruction Criteria Base (CCB) is an extensive electronic library of construction guide specifications, manuals, standards, and other essential criteria documents. Published and updated continuously, CCB contains the complete unabridged, approved, current electronic equivalents of over 10,000 documents direct from participating federal agencies. CCB is an effective tool for finding and using current, approved U.S. construction criteria. Documents are available as PDFs and as word-processing formats or in the SPECSINTACT specification processing program used by the Army, NAVFAC and NASA.
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GreenFILE from EBSCOhostGreenFILE indexes citations, abstracts, and full-text articles, books, case studies, conference papers, speeches and interviews, letters, and reports covering all aspects of human impact to the environment including agricultural, architectural, engineering, education, and the social sciences. Full text is available in HTML and PDF. You can limit to peer-reviewed sources. Free access version is also available. 1913-present.
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International Archive of Women in Architecture
IAWA documents the women's involvement in architecture and landscape architecture, industrial and interior designer, and urban planning from around the world. Use the links on the left to search or browse for women who practiced architecture and related design professions. The IAWA collects information to fill serious gaps in the availability of primary research materials for architectural, women's, and social history research. -
SmartBuilding Index from Reed Construction DataSmartBuilding Index provides architects, spec writers, engineers and contractors with in-depth information on commercial building products - including technical data, sourcing, cost data, project use examples, and downloadable specs, CAD and BIM objects.
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ThomasNet Product CatalogThomasNet provides information and reports on products, services, and suppliers of products manufactured in North America where you can place orders online; view and download millions of computer aided design (CAD) drawings; view thousands of online company catalogs and websites. You can search by: Product or service, company name, or, brand name and limit by geographic location.
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ULI Development Case StudiesULI Development Case Studies provides full-text case studies describing the development process of building projects (in HTML). Studies include general descriptions, contact information for the development team, the building site's background and history, special features of the project, what did and did not work on the project, key facts and figures, and photos of the site or floor plans. 1981-present.
