Building maps and architectural plans
This page offers detailed building maps and architectural plans for various types of buildings. You can explore architectural photos, plans, and drawings in the library’s collection of print and online books or journals.
Databases
Most relevant journals for building maps and architectural plans are indexed in the following:
- Avery index to architectural periodicalsCovers international, scholarly and popular periodical literature, including publications of professional associations, U.S. state and regional periodicals, and major serial publications on the architecture and design of Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia.
- Art and Architecture SourceContains a broad range of related subjects, from fine, decorative and commercial art, to various areas of architecture and architectural design.
- Academic Search CompleteMulti-disciplinary database with extensive coverage of STEM research, social sciences and humanities, anthropology, engineering, law and the sciences.
- Artstor on JSTORDigital library of images in the areas of art, architecture, the humanities, and social sciences with a set of tools to view, present, and manage images for research and pedagogical purposes.
Find plans, sections and drawings in journals or magazines
Searching the databases Art and Architecture Source and Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals is a good place to start.
Follow the steps below to locate plans, elevations and sections within journal and magazine articles.
- Navigate to Art and Architecture Source
- In the first search field type the name of the building or architect
- In the second search field enter the terms plans OR section OR elevation, and select Search
- To access the full-text plan or drawing, select the PDF option or Find it @Deakin button
- Repeat this process in Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals
Example
The library record below shows a journal article that contains images of building plans.
Finding architectural plans
Find plans in books
Books are an excellent starting point to find architectural plans, sections, drawings and images.
You can use the Library Search to find books about an architect or building. You can also include the keyword plan or plans in your search.
Below is an example search using the terms: Glenn Murcutt plans
Find historical plans on websites
The following websites are a source of plans, drawings, elevations or images in Australia but especially Melbourne or Geelong.
- State Library of Victoria drawings collection
The SLV architecture drawings collection includes mostly Victorian architects’ drawings of the 19th and 20th century buildings. - Victorian Heritage Database
The Victorian Heritage Database is home to the Victorian Heritage Register which lists the state's most significant heritage places. The register includes descriptions, images and sometimes plans of Heritage buildings in Victoria. - Geelong Heritage Centre
Geelong’s archive and resource centre which collects the history of Geelong and beyond. The collection includes maps, plans and photographs of Geelong built environment history. - TROVE
By searching Trove you can find access to, or the locations of, collections from Australian libraries, universities, museums, galleries and archives. This includes images and plans of buildings. Refine your search to Images, Maps & Artefacts to locate plans and images. - Public Record Office of Victoria
Find archives of historic building plans and documents from Melbourne and around Victoria.
Resources with visualisation and drawing
- ArchDaily It provides inspiration, knowledge and tools to the architects to experience the latest projects, products, and trends.
- Architectural Record Provides news updates, book reviews, exhibition reviews, interviews with top newsmakers from the architecture world, and architectural record archives.
- Architecture and Design Collection Highlights (The Getty Research Institute) Includes contents on international architecture and design and architectural photography.
- Cities and Buildings Database A collection of digitised images of buildings and cities from various periods and locations worldwide, accessible to students, researchers, and educators online. The collection is searchable by country, city, style, title, and architect.
- CyArk A digital archive of the World's Heritage Sites for Preservation and Education which includes projects with virtual 3D tours.
- First in architecture Resources and guides for architects and students including downloads and articles
- Dezeen Architecture and design magazine, that might have drawings, technical specifications, elevations, photos, or visualisations.
- ArchitectureAU Source for news, project reviews and products from the architecture, design, interiors and landscape worlds.
- Architects Journal Buildings Library Showcases thousands of exemplar projects, most from the last 20 years but including major projects back to 1900.
Reference and featured books with plans
These books provide a comprehensive look at significant architectural works across different eras and styles, featuring detailed plans, analyses, and illustrations. They cover influential buildings from the 20th and 21st centuries, key houses, and a vast array of contemporary structures completed in recent years.
Key Buildings from Prehistory to the Present by ISBN: 9781780673172Publication Date: 2012-01-01This book highlights 150 significant buildings in world architecture, organised by type and accompanied by detailed, accurate scale plans.
Key buildings of the 20th century: plans, sections and elevations by ISBN: 1856696596Publication Date: 2010
This book features over 100 influential and significant buildings from the 20th century. For each of the buildings it includes a number of plans, floor plans, elevations, sections, images and site plans.
Key contemporary buildings : plans, sections, and elevations by ISBN: 1856695018Publication Date: 2008This book includes a collection of more than one hundred twenty-first-century buildings of particular interest for study by students and professionals.
Key Houses of the Twentieth Century by ISBN: 0393732053Publication Date: 2006-10-17It offers detailed, accurate scale plans, elevations, and sections for key houses, along with full-colour views and concise architectural analysis. It includes a CD-ROM with digital files of the drawings, making it an indispensable resource for students of modern architecture.
The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture by ISBN: 0714843121Publication Date: 2004-04-23The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture provides a comprehensive survey of over 1,000 notable contemporary buildings completed in the last five years, organised geographically. It includes detailed illustrations, maps, and insights from global architectural experts, covering a diverse range of building types.
