Resources to support the VU Bachelor of Architectural Design course
You can find journal articles online via Library search or via Library databases. A database is a collection of material from trusted sources, particularly journal articles. One database may include articles from hundreds of journals. Some databases are multi-disciplinary, others are subject-specific and focus on a particular discipline, such as health.
To see a full list of databases relevant to your studies in architectural design, go to the library homepage, click on 'Databases A-Z', select 'subjects' and click on the 'Engineering, science & built environment' link.
Academic Search Elite is a multidisciplinary database that provides full-text access to thousands of scholarly journals, magazines, and other publications across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. For architectural design, it offers useful coverage of topics such as urban planning, cultural context, environmental sustainability, and the social impact of the built environment.
Knovel is a technical reference database offering searchable full-text handbooks, conference proceedings, and engineering resources. It provides materials data, structural calculations, and applied engineering solutions relevant to architecture and design.
The ProQuest Arts & Humanities Database offers access to a diverse range of journals, magazines, and full-text resources that encompass art, architecture, design, history, philosophy, music, literature, theatre, and cultural studies. It is particularly suitable for architecture students and researchers seeking scholarly articles, design theory, and historical perspectives. The database complements key indexes such as Avery, DAAI, Index Islamicus, MLA, and RILM, helping users discover authoritative and relevant content across multiple disciplines.
Provides full-text access to academic journals and primary sources in architecture, urban studies, design, and art history.
Strong for historical, theoretical, and interdisciplinary content.
Ideal for exploring architectural history, cultural context, and design trends.
Taylor & Francis Online (Architecture & Built Environment journals) offers full-text access to scholarly journals in architecture, planning, urban studies, and the built environment. It is a key resource for contemporary research and theory in architecture and design disciplines. Includes both contemporary and practice-based research.
Wiley Online Library (Architecture & Building journals) provides peer-reviewed journals and books in architecture, building science, construction, materials science, and urban studies. It offers content on innovative practices, sustainability, and interdisciplinary approaches to the built environment.
ScienceDirect provides full-text access to peer-reviewed journals and book chapters across science, technology, and engineering, including content on materials science, sustainability, building technology, and interdisciplinary studies in architecture.
The DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals) provides access to high-quality, peer-reviewed open-access journals in multiple disciplines, including architecture and design. It is a valuable resource for finding freely available scholarly articles for research and study.
AccessEngineering (McGraw-Hill) is an interactive platform providing reference tools, textbooks, and problem-solving resources. It helps understand engineering concepts, building systems, and practical applications relevant to architectural design.
Australian Heritage Bibliography (AHB)
The Australian Heritage Bibliography provides access to information on Australia’s natural and cultural environment, including national parks, endangered species, wilderness areas, historic buildings, archaeological sites, and towns. Although the database is now somewhat dated (Informit stopped updating in 2003), it remains a valuable archival resource for heritage research and historical studies. It is beneficial for exploring historical documentation and understanding the context of Australia’s built and natural heritage.
CuminCAD provides bibliographic information for over 12,000 records from leading CAAD journals and conferences. It is ideal for research in computational design, digital fabrication, parametric modelling, and architectural technology.
SAGE Journals covers urban planning, sociology of architecture, education in design, and cultural aspects of the built environment. It supports research on social, environmental, and community dimensions of architectural practice.
Scopus is a large multidisciplinary database with extensive coverage of architecture, engineering, and the sciences. Useful for tracking scholarly articles, conference papers, and citations in architecture-related research.
O’Reilly Digital Library provides access to a wide range of ebooks, videos, and learning resources covering design, technology, and business. Helpful for architectural design students and staff seeking practical guides, software tutorials, and industry trends.
Business Source Complete provides access to peer-reviewed journals, trade publications, case studies, company profiles, and industry reports covering all areas of business and management. For architectural design, it is especially useful for exploring project management, construction industry trends, property development, and the business aspects of design practice.
GreenFILE is a research database that focuses on the human impact on the environment, including subjects such as climate change, sustainable building, renewable energy, and environmental policy. It is highly relevant to architectural design research on green architecture, sustainable materials, and environmentally responsible building practices.
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) provides access to the National Construction Code and related regulatory materials. Essential for students and practitioners needing authoritative information on Australian building standards and compliance requirements.
ARCH was a bibliographic database indexing Australian architecture journals, conference proceedings, and related publications from roughly 1980 to 2015. It is no longer actively maintained or updated, and access as a standalone database is no longer available. Some historical content may still be searchable via Informit, but for current architecture research, users should consult other databases such as ProQuest Arts & Humanities Database, JSTOR, Taylor & Francis Online, and Wiley Online Library. ARCH is best considered an archival resource for historical studies in Australian architecture.
Many of the journals formerly indexed in Avery are now accessible via Arts & Humanities Database (ProQuest), which provides full-text coverage of historical magazines and periodicals in architecture and related design fields. While not a complete replacement for Avery’s full indexing capabilities, this resource allows users to access much of the archival content for historical and research purposes. For current research, databases such as JSTOR, Taylor & Francis Online, and Wiley Online Library can be used to locate contemporary articles in architecture.