Research Guides: Where to Find Resources (by type): Architecture + Design Web Resources

Where to Find Architecture + Design Images & Resources on the Web

Databases + Websites

AIGA design archives
Selections from AIGA's annual design competitions.
ARCHNET
Images & resources related to the built environment of the Muslim world.

Artstor This link opens in a new window
Artstor is on the JSTOR platform effective 8/1/24. Digital image gallery with millions of images of works of art from museums, galleries, and private collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago. Artstor also includes AIC Collections, images curated by the Flaxman Library specifically for use in teaching and research at SAIC. Click here for tips on how to use Workspace for organizing images.

Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Image Search
Image-based similarity searches images identified from 2,311,060 digitized works of the Bavarian State Library, published between the 9th and the 20th century.
BnF Gallica
Bibliothèque nationale de France + a few related collections (e.g.; INHA (the national library for the history of art) includes some full text + images.
Burnham Library Architectural Images
Elevations, floorplans and photographs of the built environment from the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries.
Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA)
Includes exhibition images, which are often annotated.
Catena
Digital archive of historic gardens & landscapes
Chicago Design Archive
Society of Typographic Arts
Chicago Collections
Incorporate images of Chicago region's built environment from local university & archival collections.
Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Paris
Search the collections inherited from the Royal Academies, which include donations and student works until 1968.
Getty Search Tools and Databases
Includes digital access to Getty projects, e.g. Open Content Program (images), Research Portal, Photo Archive, BHA/RILA, AATA, and more.
Hermitage Museum Research Portal
Includes high resolution images of the objects in the Hermitage.
Library of Congress: Architecture, Design & Historic Preservation
Includes these architectural drawings and photographs collections: Historic American Buildings Survey 1933-present ; Architecture, Design & Engineering Drawings; and Gottscho-Schleisner Collection.
MoMA Research Resources
Search for images in collection, DADABASE for library holdings, plus other archival collections.
RIBApix
From the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Ryerson & Burnham Digital Collections
Curated selections of historic publications, archival materials, and artists’ works drawn from our library shelves.
SAIC Digital Collections
Curated selections of historic publications, archival materials, student theses, and artists’ works drawn from our library shelves or from other campus special collections.

Sanborn Insurance Maps for Illinois This link opens in a new window
Provides digitized historic fire insurance maps for most cities and towns in Illinois. The large scale plans chart the growth and development of these communities. 1867-1970.

Saudi Aramco World Digital Image Archive
40,000+ images in one of the world's largest archives specializing in historic and current images of the Middle East and the Islamic world. Free: registration required.
Smithsonian Institution | Drawings
Drawings of furniture, interiors, jewelry, wallpaper, and more from the Cooper Hewitt, Freer Gallery, Hirshhorn, and other Smithsonian Museum collections.
VADS: Architecture
VADS images of architecture, design, and monuments.

Finding Architectural Drawings of Chicago-Area Buildings

Elevations and floorplans can be found in a number of places within Ryerson & Burnham Libraries. Explore these options before you visit.

Search Ryerson & Burnham libraries digital collections. Type architectural drawing and an architect's last name into the search box
Browse the finding aids to locate drawings at Ryerson that are not digitized.
1. choose "Burnham Library-University of Illinois Project to Microfilm..." from the menu, and then select the document with "Appendix" at the top of the page in order to view a list of architects and buildings included in this microfilm project of over 11,000 drawings
2. browse the finding aid list to find other architects and collections in addition to the microfilm project
Check architectural magazines. Search the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals and the Burnham Index (in Ryerson, call no. Z5944.U5 B87) to identify citations. Both libraries have many of these magazines. Inland Architect is particularly good for early Chicago building plans.
Check individual archival collections at Ryerson. Browse digitized items by collection here
The museum’s Architecture and Design Department collection of drawings is inventoried and accessible by librarians at Ryerson & Burnham libraries; check the plan a visit page to make an appointment.
Search either Flaxman or Ryerson's catalog for books on specific architects or buildings; sometimes plans and drawings are included. Particularly useful are the Historic American Buildings Survey books, also digitized by the Library of Congress here.
Additionally, the Chicago History Museum has plans and drawings for Chicago-area buildings.