Biographical Resources on Architects
Biographical Resources on Architects is a research guide to UC Berkeley library and web resources, historical and contemporary. This guide also provides links to some full text resources. For additional assistance please consult the reference staff of the Environmental Design Library, 210 Wurster Hall.
UC Berkeley faculty, registered
students, and staff who are off campus may use items marked UCB Only or
UC Only by using the Library's proxy server or the Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Compiled by Susan Koskinen.
Bibliographies
- American architects from the
Civil War to the First World War: a guide to information sources,
by Lawrence Wodehouse. Monticello, Il.: Vance Bibliographies, 1976.
- American architects from the
First World War to the Present: a guide to information sources, by
Lawrence Wodehouse. Monticello, Ill.: Vance Bibliographies, 1977.
- Annotated bibliography on African
American architects and builders by Ellen Weiss. Philadelphia, PA:
Society of Arch. Historians, 1993.Teaching materials in architectural history;
no. 1.
- Architects: a guide to biographical
sources, by Cindy Campbell. Chicago, Council of Planning Librarians,
1989. Annotated guide to biographical works in architecture. Excludes works
devoted to one architect. Includes international sources & sources
by country.
- Architects on architecture:
opinions, statements, and critical examinations: journal articles,
1982-1988, by Dale E. Casper. Monticello, Ill.: Vance Bibliographies, 1989.
- Early women architects of the San Francisco Bay Area : the lives and work of fifty professionals, 1890-1951 by Inge Schaefer Horton.
- Index to information on individual
architects in a select list of books, by Susan Brookes. Monticello,
Ill.: Vance Bibliographies,1979.
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Biographical dictionaries & encyclopedias
Modern
- African American architects
in current practice. Ed. by Jack Travis. New York: Princeton
Architectural Press, 1991. Documents the achievements of thirty-five contemporary
African American architects.
- American architects : a survey
of award-winning contemporaries and their notable works / Les Krantz.
New York: Facts on File,1989.
- Architects of modern India = Adhunika Bharata ke nirmata / V.N. O'Key. Bombay: V.N.O'Key Felicitation
Committee, 1989.
- Arquitectos contemporaneos de
Mexico / Louise Noelle.2.ed.Mexico: Editorial Trillas, 1996.
- Biographical
Dictionary - This
dictionary covers more than 28,000 notable men and women who have shaped
our world from ancient times to the present day.
- Contemporary American architects by Philip Jodidio. Koln, Germany: Benedikt Taschen, 1993-
- Contemporary architects. Ed. by Muriel Emanuel. 3rd ed. NY: St. James Press, c1994. Covers
more than 400 architects worldwide who worked from 1920 to 1987. Signed
entries include lists of works, publications by and about the architect,
a photograph of a representative building and a short passage written by
the architect describing his or her thoughts about their own work is included.
- Contemporary Asian architects by Hasan-Uddin Khan. Koln [Germany]; NewYork: Taschen, 1995.
- Contemporary California architects by Philip Jodidio. Koln [Germany] ; New York : Taschen, c1995.
- Contemporary European architects. Koln; New York : Taschen, c1991.
- Contemporary Japanese architects by Meyhofer,
Dirk. Koln: Benedikt Taschen, c1994
- Contemporary World Architects.
Gloucester, Mass.: Rockport Publishers, 1995-present
- The Dictionary of Art Historians, a biographical dictionary of historic scholars, museum professionals and academic historians of art. Lee Sorensen in collaboration with Monique Daniels. Includes many well known architectural historians. Ongoing project.
- Dictionnaire des architectes,
by Bernard Oudin. Nouv. ed Paris: Seghers, c1994.
- Encyclopedia of 20th-century
architecture. Ed. by R. Stephen Sennott. NY : Fitzroy Dearborn, 2004. 3 vols. Short biographical sketches written by architectural historians.
Most entries include at least two reference sources to further information
on the architect.
- Illustrated encyclopedia of
architects and architecture. Ed. by Dennis Sharp.NY:Whitney Library
of Design, 1991.
- International dictionary of
architects and architecture. Ed. by Randall J.Van Vynckt. Detroit:St. James Press, 1993.
- Makers of 20th century modern
architecture: a bio-critical sourcebook, by Donald Leslie Johnson. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1997. Includes architects and engineers
who "initiated, developed, or advanced" modern (mostly Western) architecture
in the 20th century. Introductory essay and overview of 20th century architecture.
Entries provide brief chronology/biography and footnoted critical essay,
with bibliography. Coda contains intriguing quotes. Separate chronology,
and name and place indexes.
- Sources of modern architecture,
by Dennis Sharp. London: Granada, 1981. Provides brief biographical information
on over 150 architects considered part of the modern movement. Includes
lists of works by and about the architect, and photographs of many of the
architects.
- The Thames and Hudson encyclopaedia
of 20th century design and designers / Guy Julier. New York, N.Y.:
Thames and Hudson, 1993. World of art.
- Who's who in architecture: from
1400 to the present, Ed. By J.M. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston,
c1977.
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Historical
- Allgemeines lexikon der bildenden
kunstler von der antike bis zur gegenwart. Leipzig: E.A. Seemann, 1907-1950. Also available in print.
37 vols. German language. Perhaps the most comprehensive source of biographical
information about artists, including architects, from ancient times through
the 19th century. Individual signed articles include extensive bibliographies
drawing from sources in all languages. 6-vol supplement covers the early
decades of the 20th century.
- African-American architects:
a biographical dictionary, 1865-1945. ed. by Dreck Spurlock Wilson.
New York : Routledge, 2004.
- Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Obituary citations are included in the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals from Avery's Obituary Index. Like the topical Index, the Obituary Index includes extensive back-indexing of four crucial American periodicals since their founding: the American Architect (1876), Architectural Forum (1892), Architectural Record (1891), and Progressive Architecture(1920). The Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects and its preceding Transactions are back-indexed as far as 1865, providing an extensive record of English architects. Many other journals are selectively analyzed. Portraits or illustrations are noted whenever they appear. The obituaries are distinguished by the addition of "[Obituary]" to the article title, making them easily retrievable in title searches.
- Avery obituary index of architects.2nd ed. Boston: G.K.Hall, 1980. Lists over 17,000 architects, city planners, art historians, etc. International in scope. Individual entries refer to obituaries in one of the numerous journals indexed by the Avery Library. Obituaries are included in Avery Online. The Obituary Index was originally published in 1963 in book form, with a second expanded edition in 1980 in print and microfilm. Records are available in Avery Index.
- Biographical dictionary of American
architects (deceased), ed. Henry F. Withey. Los Angeles: New Age Pub.
Co., 1956. Also available in print.
- Biographical dictionary of British
architects, 1600-1840. 4th ed, by Howard Montague Colvin. New Haven:
Yale Univ. Press, 2008.
- Directory of historic American
architectural firms, American Institute of Architects Foundation
and the Committee for the Preservation of Architectural Records. NY: Committee
for the Preservation of Architectural Records, Inc., c1979.
- Index of architects of several
countries & many periods (except English mediaeval)..London: RIBA
Library, 1956. Entries for nearly 4,000 architects worldwide. Each entry
refers the reader to particular pages in one or more of 60 major books
or encyclopedias where biographical information about the architect can
be found.
- Lives of celebrated architects
ancient and modern: with historical and critical observations on their
works, and on the principles of the art, by Francesco Milizia. London:
J. Taylor, 1826. 2 vols. Also available in print.
- Macmillan encyclopedia of architects / Adolf K. Placzek, editor in chief. New York: Free Press; London:
Collier Macmillan, c1982. Illustrated biographies on architects worldwide
who were born before December 30, 1931, or are deceased. Scholarly entries
also include a list of works and bibliography. A building name index is
located at the end of volume 4. Arranged alphabetically by architect's
name.
- Oxford
Dictionary of National Biography : in association with the British
Academy: from the earliest times to the year 2000 / edited by H.C.G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. Oxford; New York: Oxford
University Press, 2004. Also available in print. Includes people who were connected with the British
Isle, anyone who left a mark on Britain's history.
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Databases
- The AIA Historical Directory of American Architects. A resource guide to information about past architects. Information about past architects in the AIA Archives and elsewhere, including 50,324 members of the AIA at the national level who joined between 1857 and 1978. For deceased members, information from the AIA Archives' membership files may be available, and can be added to this site. (To protect their privacy, the membership files of living persons are not available.) You will also find links to architects' papers at archives around the U.S., and references to biographical information in several standard reference books--especially the three editions of American Architects Directory published by R. R. Bowker for The American Institute of Architects in 1956, 1962, and 1970 (full text available on this site, click top tabs for a quick link). Non-AIA members and architectural firm names are also in the AIA Historical Directory if they appear in one of the information sources used to build the AIA Historical Directory.
- American
National Biography. 17,400
entries.
- ArchINFORM - This database
for international architecture includes worldwide architects and buildings
from past to present, has over 12,000 built and unrealized projects from
architects and planners. The architecture of the 20th century is the main
theme of this database.
- Biography
and genealogy master index -- more than 12.7 million biographical sketches in more than 3,400
volumes and editions of current and retrospective reference books, covering
both contemporary and historical figures throughout the world. Detroit,
Mich. : Gale Research Co., c1980. Also available in print.
- Biography
index. Includes Name index
and occupation/profession index and bibliographic citations. Generally
provides more detailed information than Biography and Genealogy Master
Index.
- Biographical
Sources - UC Berkeley Library, Electronic Resources - Types.
- Current
biography. Contains articles on the lives of
the artists, politicians, businesspeople, journalists, actors, authors,
sports figures, scientists, and other newsmakers. Obituaries for people
previously profiled. Also subject's own views, attitudes and opinions;
comments by others in the field; & references to additional sources
of information. World Authors covers the most important authors worldwide
from 800 B.C. -present. Biographies are searchable by name, profession
(or genre in World Authors), title, place of origin, gender, race/ethnicity,
titles of works, date of birth, date of death, and keyword.
- Digital
Archive of American Architecture
- Great
Architects - Great Buildings Online
- International
Archive of Women in Architecture
- ObitFinder -- More than 200,000 recent obituaries from over 1200 US newspapers. Historical
access varies.
- Pacific Coast Architecture Database.
Includes a range of information on the buildings and designers of California, Oregon and Washington. Professionals in other fields related to architecture have also been included, such as landscape architects, interior designer, developers, and building contractors. Building records are tied to those of their creators (when known) and include historical and geographical information and images. Bibliographical information, such as magazine citations, book citations and web sites, has also been linked for creators and structures.
- University
of Pennsylvania - Architectural Archives
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Directories
- ACSA
Faculty Locator. Faculty of accredited schools of architecture.
- ACSA annual directory. Washington,
D.C.: Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture. Directory of faculty
teaching in accredited schools of architecture.
- African American architects
in current practice / Jack Travis, editor. NewYork, N.Y.: Princeton
Arch. Press, c1991.
- Almanac of architecture and
design. Washington, D.C. : Greenway Communications ; Atlanta: CMD Group;Kingston,
MA ; Distributed in the U.S. by R.S. Means Co., c2000. Include prize winners,
awards, honors, speeches, etc.
- AIA
Architects and Firms list (to identify architects by geographic location or specialty).
- AIA - The American Institute
of Architects College of Fellows : history & directory. American
Institute of Architects. College of Fellows. Year 2000 ed. Washington,
D.C.: The College, c2000.
- American architects directory. New York.
- American Institute of Architects.
Membership directory. Washington, D.C. 1910 -- (1936, 1938, 1940, 1942
published as regular issues of the Octagon).
- Architects
in Canada
- Architects
USA -- list from yellow pages and self submit.
- Biographical/Directory
Information, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Architecture Library: Guide to electronic
resources on biographies of architects.
- Brief
biographies of American architects. 1897-1947
the American Art Annual and its successor volume Who's Who in American
Art include brief obituaries of prominent American artists, sculptors,
and architects. During this fifty-year period, the lives of more than 1200
architects are summarized - includes verbatim transcriptions of biographical
notices, substituting full wording for abbreviations to provide for easier
reading. After each entry, the volume is cited in which the notice appeared
and its date. By Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr., Director, Maine Historic Preservation
Commission
- California-architects. Online profiles of selected 21st century California architects and firms.
- Directory of architects and classified directory of first hands in the building trades. Springfield, Mass., Clark W. Bryan. Lists architects by state and includes a list of companies in the building trades.
- Directory of British architects
1834-1914 / British Architectural Library,Royal Institute of British Architects;by Antonia Brodie; foreword by Mark Girouard. Updated and expanded ed. London; New York:Continuum, 2001.
- ENR
Directory of Design Firms. [New York] Engineering News Record.
Annual. See also the April issue of ENR (Engineering News Record) for their "Top 500 design firms."
- International
Archive of Women in Architecture
- Membership directory / Society
of Architectural Historians. Philadelphia, Pa : The Society, c1990
1999- issued as a numbered issue of Journal of the Society of Architectural
Historians.
- Northern & central region
directory of architects, associates & yellow pages on building &
design industry. Indian Institute of Architects. Northern Chapter.
New Delhi : compiled, edited & published by Montage India Cyber Media
- Pro File :
directory of the American Institute of Architects. American Institute
of Architects. Topeka: Archimedia, 1978-2004 Title varies, 1910-- . Addresses
and phone numbers of individuals, information about firms (size, type of
work, award-winning projects, etc.); arranged by state and city. Separate
list of minority and women business enterprises. Information about AIA,
honors and awards. Continued by Reed Construction Data online Architecture Firm Search.
- RIBA
Directory of Members. London: Royal Institute of British Architects, 1974 - (Title varies). Bi-annual.
Detailed listing of individual RIBA members and addresses, plus RIBA information,
architectural societies, schools, honorary fellows, gold medalists, etc. Continued online.
- California Architects Board
(CAB), 1949-2000 (title varies). Biennial. Listing of architects licensed
by the State Board to practice in California. Annual until 1990. Includes
addresses. Verify current license information.
- San Diego architects, 1868-1939 / all research herein completed by the graduate students of Public History
and Historic Preservation, under the direction of Raymond S. Brandes. 2nd
ed. San Diego, Calif.: University of San Diego, 1991.
- Society
of American Registered Architects - searchable database, limited to those who belong.
- Women
Architects - site
by Mary Ann Sullivan. Includes scanned images with descriptions.
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Books & articles
Use search terms for books in OskiCat (UCB catalog) or Melvyl (all UC campuses catalog) and articles in the Article Databases.
Architects --Biography
Architects --Homes and Haunts
Architects -- (City, State
or Country Name) -- Biography
Architects --Interviews
Architects -- (Country Name)
- Correspondence
Architecture --Addresses, essays,
lectures
Architecture --Film
Catalogs
Architecture --Video Catalogs
Bibliography --Interviews
--Catalogs --Journeys
--Correspondence --Knowledge
and learning
--Criticism and Interpretation
--Written works
For a specific architect,
use the examples as illustrated below for Frank Lloyd Wright.
In Melvyl: title keyword: Frank Lloyd Wright or subject: Wright,
Frank Lloyd - Archives
In OskiCat: author: Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1867-1959 - Archives.
Wright, Frank Lloyd --Aesthetics
--Diaries
Wright, Frank Lloyd --Archives
--Exhibitions
Wright, Frank Lloyd --Autobiographies
--Influence
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Articles
Selected List from the Environmental Design Library, UC Berkeley. Search under personal name or a specific building name as title word, subject or author. For more see - Electronic Resources, Types, Article Databases. See also previous list under Directories and Databases.
- Architectural
Index Annual subject index to 10 U.S. professional architecture,
building, and landscape architecture magazines.
- British Architectural Library (RIBA) online catalog includes
books, photos, drawings and articles. Covers more than 300 journals from
45 countries on architecture and allied arts, construction, design, landscape,
and to a limited extent, planning and urban history. Excludes book reviews.
Index Search Terms can be found in its thesaurus, Architectural Keywords. Earlier editions avaiable.
- ARTbibliographies
Modernvia CSA - Indexes and abstracts books, serials,
theses, and exhibition catalogs on modern and contemporary art, design
and photography. After 1988 architecture coverage limited to broad design
aspects.
- Art
Full Text. Indexes journal articles in art and related fields, including
architecture, art history, city planning, urban design, and landscape architecture.
Includes book reviews.
- Art
Index Retrospective. Bibliographic database that cumulates citations to in-print Art Index vols 1-32 published 1929-1984. Covers
the fields of archaeology, architecture, art history, city planning, computer
applications and graphics, crafts, film, folk art, graphic arts, industrial
design, interior design, landscape architecture, museology, painting, photography,
sculpture, television, textiles, and video. Includes book reviews.
- Arts
and Humanities Citation Index.
Indexes 1100 leading journals in arts and humanities, providing citations
for articles and book reviews. Full Search, Cited Reference Searching includes
all the cited references (footnotes) of each article it covers and can
be used to look up a reference to a work the user has identified as helpful,
and identify other articles citing that work, thus retrieving related articles.
- Avery
Index to Architectural Periodicals.
This is the primary article index for architecture and all aspects of environmental
design. It indexes more than 2500 scholarly and professional journals from
all over the world in the subjects of architecture, landscape architecture
and urban design. Citations may contain abstracts or links to full text.
Includes obituaries and book reviews. Early volumes have only minimal coverage
of the West Coast. Allows sorting by date, EndNote exporting.
- Biography
Index.
Cites biographical material appearing in more than 3,000 periodicals, some
2,500 current books, and incidental biographical material in otherwise
non-biographical books. Biographical subjects indexed range from antiquity
to the present.
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Newspaper Indexes
Check in the Main Library Newspaper/Periodicals/Microform Room for indexes to newspapers published in the geographical area where your architect lived and worked. See also the News Databases list under Electronic Resources.
- America's
Newspapers. Full-text content of local and regional
news from over 200 newspapers including many California papers such as
Contra Costa Times (1995-current), Fresno Bee (1986-current), Santa Rosa
Press Democrat (1994-current), Sacramento Bee (1984-current), San Francisco
Chronicle (1985-current), and San Jose Mercury News (1985-current). Articles
cover community events, schools, politics, government policies, cultural
activities, local companies, state industries, and people in the community.
Articles are available the day after publication.
- Historical
Newspapers Online. Contains four major historical resources: Palmer's Index to the Times,
1790 to 1905; The Official Index to the Times: 1906 to 1980; The Historical
Index to the New York Times: 1851-September 1922; Palmer's Full Text Online
1785-1870.
- Lexis-Nexis
Academic .
Provides access to thousands of full-text news, business and legal sources.
- The New
York Times Index began in 1913 and covers national and international
architectural information.
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Oral histories
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Dissertations
See also Electronic Resources - Types, Dissertations for more resources.
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Exhibition catalogs
Frequently overlooked, exhibition catalogs often contain scholarly and detailed information about architects. They are indexed in several sources, including:
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Films & videos
Films, videos, oral histories, slides and photographs can be important sources of information.
- FAC-TV Catalog: The 4th International
Festival of Films on Architecture and Planning is a catalog of films
and videos related to environmental design. There are other directories
of picture and slide collections, etc.
- Architecture on screen: films and videos on architecture, landscape architecture, historic preservation,
city and regional planning compiled and edited by the Program for Art on
Film; Nadine Covert, editor; NY : G.K. Hall, c1993.
- Media
Resources Center - Architecture
and City Planning videos. For a list of videos on environmental
design you may also use OskiCat, use author, title or subject keyword
and select form video. Videos are available in the Media Resources
Center in Moffitt Library.
- Guide to media resources, University
of California at Berkeley. Berkeley, CA: Office of Educational Development,
University of California at Berkeley.
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Archival sources
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