Research Guides: ARC 2017: Research Methods: Primary Research

Primary Research Resources

Some architectural primary materials can be found in the library, but most will be in archives. Data collected when doing site or demographic research is also considered primary materials. Below are resources for primary materials and data sources.

City of Toronto Archives - access to local historical records including photographs, maps, plans, and architectural drawings
Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library - located in Robarts Library, houses some local architectural collections and early architectural periodical editions
Architectural Index for Ontario - database of architectural information and citations to periodical articles and books about buildings in Toronto, not all resources are primary materials, but does include some personal papers
Art and Architecture Archive - archive of magazines comprising key research material in the fields of art and architecture, dating from the late-nineteenth century to the twenty-first

Data Resources

Borealis, the Canadian Dataverse Repository - self-serve data repository where you can create an account and deposit your data for sharing with others
Multidisciplinary Repositories - some examples include Zenodo | Figshare | Dryad
Get help with site, map, and data questions here

Books on Exhibition Design

Exhibition Design by Philip Hughes
A wealth of visual material includes photographs of completed exhibitions by world-renowned designers, concept drawings, computer renderings, charts and tables of information--all for a wide range of exhibitions around the world, permanent and temporary, including museums and galleries, visitor centres, brand experiences, festivals and trade fairs. This second edition includes new examples, updated information on the latest digital technology, and expanded coverage of interactives and sound and film.
New Exhibition Design 03 by U. Reinhardt
Focuses on exhibition and experience design, and scenography The new edition in this successful series presents the status quo in exhibition design and scenography with over 110 projects and 15 interviews. The focus is on current trends and corresponding methods, renowned firms, exceptional designers and curators.
As Seen by Zoë Ryan (Editor, Contribution by)
Exhibitions have long played a crucial role in defining disciplinary histories. This fascinating volume examines the impact of eleven groundbreaking architecture and design exhibitions held between 1956 and 2006, revealing how they have shaped contemporary understanding and practice of these fields.

Exhibition Catalogues

After Architecture by Mart' Peran
A compilation of materials with which seventeen artists reflect on the gap between architecture as idea, architecture on paper, and its actual use in other words, the afterwards of construction. The project distinguishes four possible typologies of the afterwards: back, interior, around and demolition.
People Meet in Architecture by Kazuyo Sejima
People Meet in Architecture is the official catalog of the 12th International Architecture Biennale. The idea of Kazuyo Sejima for this Biennale is to restart the discussion about architecture and its role in civilization, thus helping people relate to architecture while helping architecture relate to people and helping people relate to themselves.
Piece by Piece by Renzo Piano Building Workshop
Catalog of an exhibition held at the Palazzo della ragione, Padua, Italy, March 15-July 15, 2016
Peter Eisenman: The Garden of Lost Footsteps, an installation at the Museo di Castelvecchio by Eisenman, Peter; Forster, Kurt Walter; and Davidson, Cynthia
Crossed Lines: New Territory by David Lorente
The frontiers between the traditional disciplines of design are blurring, blurring, gone. This publication, determinedly interdisciplinary and at times vague or unclassifiable, engenders exchanges, blends, transactions, frictions, and superimpositions. It sketches a map of contemporary design territory showing new points of convergence and exciting crossings of information and action, suggesting heretofore unexplored paths of investigation.

Research Guides

ARC 2017: Research Methods

Primary Research Resources

Data Resources

Books on Exhibition Design

Exhibition Catalogues

Library links

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