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Architecture: Architectural drawings

Books on architecture and articles in architecture journals can be useful sources for finding architectural drawings such as floor plans, sections, elevations etc. Search Library Search to find relevant books. Search the databases below to find details of relevant journal articles. Then check, if the journal articles which you have identified are available in the library.
Please note: Only a few architecture journals are available online. Many more are available in hardcopy format, shelved on Floor 2 in the McClay Library. For help finding journals, ask at the Enquiry Desk.

Useful books

When you need to find architectural drawings for a specific building, search Library Search for: 

1. books on the building

2. books on the architect

3. If books on the building and / or the architect don't provide the drawings you need, consider checking the books below, which collect drawings such as plans, sections and elevations for significant buildings:

Features more than 100 significant and influential houses of the 20th century, including works by Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, Alvar Aalto, Tadao Ando, Rem Koolhaas and Glen Murcutt. For each of the houses included there are scale plans showing each floor, together with elevations, sections and site plans where appropriate.

The table of contents and a brief preview of this book are available via Google Books


Analyses of more than 100 influential buildings by architects including Alvar Aalto, Tadao Ando, Mario Botta, Louis I. Kahn, Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright and many more.  


Features more than 100 significant and influential buildings of the 20th century, including works by Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe and Alvar Aalto, Norman Foster, Frank Gehry and Rem Koolhaas. For each of the buildings included there are scale plans showing typical floors, together with elevations, sections and site plans where appropriate.


Features 95 significant buildings of the early 21st century, including works by Renzo Piano, Norman Foster, OMA and Frank Gehry. For each building there are scale plans showing a combination of floor plans, elevations and sections as appropriate.


Features 87 influential modern housing designs of the past 100 years. Each project is explained with a concise text and photographs and scale drawings, including floor plans and site plans, sections and elevations where appropriate.


Features around 150 important buildings from the pyramids and Parthenon to some of the most significant works by recent architects. The buildings are organized by type, from places of worship and public buildings to houses. For each building there are scale drawings showing a combination of floor plans, elevations and sections as appropriate.


Features 20 international projects by contemporary architects such as Herzog & de Meuron, 3XN, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Neutelings Riedijk Architects, Steven Holl Architects, and Giancarlo Mazzanti Arquitectos. Each project is illustrated with photographs and drawings.

Features a range of international projects by contemporary architects such as Amateur Architecture Studio, Mecanoo Architecten, Sasaki Associates, and Studio MK27. Each project is illustrated with photographs and drawings.

If you would like this file in an alternative format, please contact Irene Bittles (email: i.bittles@qub.ac.uk)

Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals

This is one of the best places to identify journal articles which have architectural drawings. Please note: Books are not included.

  • Select "Advanced Search" and enter the name of the building or architect you are interested in.
  • Then limit your search by "Document feature" (this option is further down the page). Depending on the type of drawing you need, useful selections include elevations, plans, sections etc. Select as many as you like.
  • Click "Search".
  • The "Results" list will show you articles which have relevant illustrations.
  • Print the results list or email it to yourself. Then check, if the articles are available in the library, by searching for the source title (AKA publication title) on Library Search.

RIBA British Architectural Library Catalogue

The British Architectural Library at RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) holds one of the world’s foremost architectural collections. Using the RIBA Library catalogue, you can find references to journal articles, books and exhibition catalogues which include architectural drawings.

  • Select "Advanced Search" and enter the name of the building and / or architect you are interested in, in the relevant search box.
  • Then enter the type of drawing you would like to find in the Keyword(s) search box, e.g. sections OR elevations OR plans

  • Check the results. You can see more information about results by clicking on the title.
  • Select relevant results and print the list or email it to yourself. Then check, if the articles are available in the McClay Library, by searching for the source title (e.g. the title of the book or journal) on QUB Library Search.

Planning Architecture Design Database Ireland

The Planning Architecture and Design Database Ireland is one of the best databases for finding books and journal articles about Irish and Northern Irish architecture. You can search for journal articles and books which include sections, plans, elevations, photos and other types of illustrations. 

DETAIL Inspiration

Detail Inspiration logoDETAIL Inspiration provides online access to architecture and construction projects that have been documented in the journal Detail: Zeitschrift für Architektur und Baudetail.

DETAIL Inspiration includes text (in German and English), photographs and architectural drawings. PDFs are available for download.