ENGL 101 English Composition 1 (Moreno)

International Cities

Research your Architectural Site

Find Sources on your Building

Now that you have selected an architectural work to analyze, use some of the same strategies and resources to learn about the building, architect, city, and other required elements of your analysis. 

Search Strategy 1: Keywords & Subject Terms

Type in simple keywords and combinations of keywords to capture different aspects of your research (be sure to refer back to your assignment). Examples:

  • "rem koolhaas"
  • seattle central public library
  • seattle AND architecture
  • Seattle AND history

Note that while you are looking for information on your specific building, you may also need to step back to look for information on an architectural style, other works by that architect, other works of architecture in the city, city history and culture, etc.

Search Strategy 2: Consider Source Type

When you research, you will find information in academic encyclopedias (reference), magazines, newspapers, books, journals, videos, and more.

Why does this matter? 

Information is created for different purposes and audiences - and it helps to keep that in mind when you're doing research!

  • Reference sources, aka academic subject encyclopedias, are a good source of overviews, history, biography, context, facts, and leads to more resources. They are introductory and are often a good place to start.
  • News sources are a good place to turn for the pubic reception and conversation on buildings. Articles may include descriptions, controversies, purpose, significance, and more on important architectural works.
  • Trade magazines are a good place to turn to try to find discussion of the architecture and architect from a professional point of view. 
  • Books and book chapters can be a good source for learning about architectural styles, cities and countries, architectects, and more.
  • Scholarly journal articles will provide deeper more sustained analysis and discussion of the architectural work, architect, and impact.
  • The Web will be useful for finding government websites, tourist information, images, and more.
Useful Places to Search: 

Useful for all info types:

Academic Encyclopedia Collection
Multidisciplinary and Multipurpose Databases with journalism & scholarship

Sample Search in Holman Library One Search

The One Search searches simultaneously in all library databases at once for print & digital materials  

  • "seattle public library"
  • seattle central library
  • seattle public library AND "rem koolhaas"
  • Seattle AND architecture
  • Seattle AND history

spl and koolhaas

My search of seattle public library AND koolhaus returned 50 items.

When I look over the list, I find a few books on architecture and Rem Koolhaus, as well as newspaper and magazine articles, some of which look like they are from architecture journals and books. The image below shows just a few of the sources I found.

(click on image to enlarge)

results spl and koolhaas

To learn more about a source, click on the title to open its "record." You may find relevant Subject Terms, a description, chapters (if it's a book), and that helps you decide if the source looks useful for your project. Sometimes you just have to skim through the source to check. 

  • This example is from a book listed above, Six Canonical Projects by Rem Koolhaas. (click on image to enlarge it)

book record - 6 canonical projects

The excerpt below captures just a few brief paragraphs from a Chicago Tribune newspaper article on the building. Note how many different research questions this one article addresses! (click on image to enlarge) The full article is linked below.

Excerpt-Purpose of SPL Central Building

 

 

This assignment: 

[A]sks you to select a work of architecture located in any non-North American city that is of special interest to you. The work of architecture can be historical or contemporary, and it can be any existing building of cultural, historical, and social significance. The assignment is divided into three different sections and should be developed independently. These will be comprised of the Overview, which requires you to identify the structure and provide various details about its origin and position. The next section as the focal point is Features, which will ask you to discuss the way the building looks, functions, and is designed. The final section requires you to provide a comprehensive Interpretation of this work of architecture in terms of what it means and to describe its symbolic connection to and representation of the city’s identity. 

Overview: What is the structure? What are its origins? 
  • Identify architectural structure, city and country, date of completion 
  • Name the architect, architect’s design styles and interests, other significant works done by the architect 
  • Specify structure’s location in the city, position 
  • Consider any public reception, opinions of the structure 
  • Provide one significant sentence-length quotation that supports some important aspect of this section. Include the appropriate MLA in-text citation and a complete citation at the end of this assignment in a Works Cited page. 
  • Select a relevant photo/image for this section and its position on the page. Include its complete citation at the end of this assignment in a Works Cited page. 
Features: What does the structure look like? / How is it used? 
  • Unique and distinguishing features 
  • Exterior and interior descriptions 
  • Design and functionality 
  • Materials, shapes, colors, forms, etc. 
  • Its beauty/aesthetic 
  • How it is used  
  • Provide one significant sentence-length quotation that supports some important aspect of this section. Include the appropriate MLA in-text citation and a complete citation at the end of this assignment in a Works Cited page. 
  • Select a relevant photo/image for this section and its position on the page. Include its complete citation at the end of this assignment in a Works Cited page. 
Interpretation: What does the structure mean or say? What makes it significant? 
  • Link to city’s identity, character, or personality 
  • Associations with the city’s history 
  • Similarity and/or uniqueness to other architectural structures in the city 
  • Connections to people and communities, how they understand it 
  • Relationship it has to this city 
  • Provide one significant sentence-length quotation that supports some important aspect of this section. Include the appropriate MLA in-text citation and a complete citation at the end of this assignment in a Works Cited page. 
  • Select a relevant photo/image for this section and its position on the page. Include its complete citation at the end of this assignment in a Works Cited page. 

Tips on Finding Images for your Assignment

The Web is a great place to find images of your architectural site. Here are a few important search tips and tools:

  • Be sure to caption your images and include them in your works cited.
    • A URL link is not a caption. A caption will include a title/ brief description and source.
  • While you can use any images you find online in your student work as long as you give credit to the creator and host, try using images that are in the public domain or that have a creative commons license that permits reuse. 

Suggestions for finding images: 

  • Go to the city government website to find high quality images.
  • Go to the website for your building/architectural site to find high quality images.
  • Do a Google Images search and under tools, select usage rights and creative commons. It cuts down on the number of images you will see, but these images are free for you to reuse. Please give credit. 

Illustration of Image Search limited to Creative Commons (click on images to enlarge):

Step 1: Search Google Images

Google Images SPL

Step 2: Limit at Tools and Usage Rights to Creative Commons Images

Creative Commons Image Search 101 Moreno