The title of this database alone denotes its strong connection to the field of architecture and importance for academic library collections. Full-text is generally an essential requirement for new resources. For architectural research, the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals is the core index for accessing periodical literature in the field. But it is an index and there is not always full-text linked to- or readily downloadable for the citations, making resources like this indispensable additions for collections which support the study of architectural design. This database does not replace the Avery Index. Its scope and breadth of coverage are not sufficient for that. But Building Types Online offers easy-to-access digitized content and very thorough documentation of the buildings and projects that it does include.
Building Types Online was first reviewed in June 2016 by Janine Henri, Architecture, Design, and Digital Services Librarian, UCLA Arts Library. Her review can be accessed at: https://arlisna.org/publications/multimedia-technology-reviews/943-building-types-online. I agree with Janine's assessment, but will add further thoughts and consider how the database has evolved in the last four years.
What makes a good database? Answers will vary, but it should be easy to access and use, provide reliable information, and be up-to-date with current content. Building Types Online checks some of these boxes but not all. Perhaps because the content of Building Types Online is drawn from the publisher's print publications, the graphics are text heavy and not well balanced. While that does not impact the quality of the content, the design does impact the user interface. It takes two clicks for the user to locate the actual search button. The landing page includes information that could be placed elsewhere. The terminology could also be streamlined to be more in keeping with search engines like Google.
That said, the content of Building Types Online has been taken from a series of highly reputable print publications. The categories of building types available in the online version coincide with those in the original editions. These are: housing, office buildings, industrial buildings, research and technology buildings, schools and kindergartens, museums, libraries, sacred buildings and hospitals. There are no categories for government and public buildings, commercial buildings like retail shops, transportation or recreational facilities. However, the projects included have been carefully selected by experts in the field and the documentation for each project has been reviewed by them before being added to the database.
Many of the projects included are European. While some of the architects’ names may be unfamiliar, there are also buildings by more widely known architects/firms such as Herman Hertzberger, the Renzo Piano Workshop and Atelier BowBow. The works by these architects chosen for inclusion correspond with the types of programs for which they are best known, such as Herman Hertzberger's Montessori School in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Searching can be done in a variety of ways. In the basic search, options include full-text, country, building type, project title, architect, decade, and even unique ways like urban context, morphological type, geometric organization, and height. These latter options highlight the approach to the architectural information taken by the content providers. They truly understand the needs of the researcher and how they might approach looking for information. The advanced search allows for linking search options. The browse function is useful for the student wishing to review the content of a particular category, particularly building type. Included in the browse function are additional readings about the actual building type.
By way of example in terms of determining the depth of the content, this reviewer chose to study Aurora Place by the Renzo Piano Workshop. This is one of 99 examples of office buildings. There is a link to a map of the site in Sydney, Australia, followed by a brief but informative description of the project. The plans are crisp, detailed and to scale. In addition to the site plan, the east elevation, a typical floor plan and even an early design sketch are included. They can be downloaded as pdfs. This is typical of the kinds of content available in Building Types Online.
One will not be able to locate every precedent, particularly for U.S. examples. However, when a case study is included in this database, it will be sufficient for the user's study purposes. The content for each project included is appropriate and well chosen.
The database provider indicates annual updates. However, the latest content seen by this reviewer was from four years ago. The database has grown from 850 case studies in 2016 to 1200 for 2020. But currency should be addressed soon. More examples, particularly contemporary ones, will only increase the database's value to institutional subscribers and those needing to access building types content.
