Architecture: Databases

The AJ supports architecture students by providing in-depth news analysis, insights into issues affecting the industry and building studies with technical details and drawings. The AJ Buildings Library is a digital database that showcases more than 1,900 exemplar projects, most from the last 20 years but including major projects back to 1900.
DMU students and staff have to register with their DMU email address via the AJ site to obtain access on and off campus. There is no automatic connection to the site on campus.
To access the AJ Buildings Library, sign in again with your AJ registration details.

Online version of DETAIL journal, with each issue devoted to a specific constructional theme. Includes analysis and plan drawings of selected projects. DETAIL Inspiration is an image and reference database which supports architects in their search for construction solutions.

El Croquis is a key architecture journal that showcases the work of leading architects and their practices from all over the world. 
Featuring one practice per issue, it is one of the most important resources for finding out about the designs and works of the most outstanding international architects.

Catalogue of the collections of the RIBA Library, including articles that have been indexed in the Architectural Periodicals Index. The Architectural Periodicals Index (API) provides subject access to periodicals in all areas of architecture, the built environment, design, planning, construction and landscape.

Digimap’s Ordnance Survey Collection is the original and definitive service providing a full range of topographic UK Ordnance Survey data for the UK higher and further education sector. Digimap provides a wide range of tools to help maximise the benefits and value the data can bring to almost every academic discipline. Users can create or interrogate a map online by selecting an appropriate base map, adding annotations and customising the content. Measurement and query tools can be used to learn more about any study area. Raw spatial data can be downloaded in a wide range of formats for use in local GIS, CAD or image processing software. Additionally, the DMU subscription includes access to Digimap Environment, Geology, Historic, Marine and Digimap pilot services.

Access high-resolution zoomable images of over 200,000 maps of Scotland, England, Wales and beyond.

This online resource contains elemental cost analyses for over 16,000 projects across the UK. BCIS cost information is collected at tender stage from a number of sources including Bills of Quantities, Contract Sum Analyses and Cost Analyses. Requires unique username and password provider by publisher. Please enter your DMU Single Sign On account to view the unique username and password.

Definitive site for all publications from British Standards Institution, with bibliographic information for more than 39,500 documents.

To download and print PDF documents from British Standards, you are required to have the FileOpen plug-in installed on your device. You can still view documents online without the plug-in. 
You can download the FileOpen plug-in from the FileOpen website.
To download, please save the document to your device first, and then open the file. 

DMU registered staff and students (authorised users) may print one hard copy and may download one single electronic copy of any of the Documents (the Permitted Copies). The Permitted Copies may not be used to build a hard copy or electronic reference collection that exceeds 5% of the total Documents under our subscribed products. The Permitted Copies must be destroyed or removed when our subscription to BSI ends and/or on completion of your degree programme and/or contract (whichever applies). Authorised Users may copy up to 10% of the content of any of the Documents for use in another document for other authorised users. All copied content must contain the phrase “Copyright BSI Standards Limited © {Date} (where {Date} is the Date of the copying).

Extensive range of full-text documents covering all aspects of the building, engineering, design and construction process. Use this resource for essential technical and regulatory information from organisations such as RIBA, BRE, CIRIA, Concrete Society etc. Also includes Building Regulations, Eurocodes, the Metric Handbook and many ebooks.

Full text access to IEEE and IEE journals, transactions and conference proceedings since 1988 and current IEEE standards.

NBS (National Building Specification) is a platform for everyone involved in the design, supply and construction of the built environment. You will need to register with NBS to get an NBS ID. Complete the online registration form using your DMU email address. Please note: we no longer subscribe to the NBS Chorus element of NBS.

To search for content using the Specify-It resource, please click on the Knowledge Workspace link once you have signed in with your DMU Single Sign On credentials. Once you are in the Knowledge Workspace portal, you can then select to search the Specify-It index from the drop-down menu next to the search bar.

Full text database including manufacturers technical catalogues, handbooks and guides, construction standards and legislative material.

CumInCAD is a cumulative index of publications about computer aided architectural design. It includes bibliographic information about over 11,700 records from journals and conferences such as ACADIA, ASCAAD, CAADRIA, eCAADe, SiGraDi, CAAD futures, DDSS and others. All papers include full abstracts. 
Unrestricted access from 2016 onwards.

An archive (1897 to 2005) of the weekly British culture and lifestyle magazine, Country Life, focusing on fine art and architecture, the great country houses, and rural living. Every page is fully searchable, and reproduced in full color and high resolution. Country Life Archive presents a chronicle of more than 100 years of British heritage, including its art, architecture, and landscapes, with an emphasis on leisure pursuits such as antique collecting, hunting, shooting, equestrian news, and gardening.

Forecasting and trend analysis for style, fashion and design; includes fashion image library and online space for personal creative development.
Insight provides market intelligence and analysis of trends in consumer attitudes, marketing, retail experience and innovation.
Lifestyle & Interiors provides insight, updates and forecasts into interior design, inspiration, and retail intelligence in the lifestyle, hospitality and interiors industries. "You have been given access to the content of WGSN for your own personal, non-commercial and information purpose only. You must not share or distribute such content across social media and any other external platforms.
It is important that you understand that your access and logins are limited to you as an authorised user of De Montfort University and any breach in the use of their content may result in prosecution, damage claims and loss of access to everyone else in the institution."

To search for content using the Specify-It resource, please click on the Knowledge Workspace link once you have signed in with your DMU Single Sign On credentials. Once you are in the Knowledge Workspace portal, you can then select to search the Specify-It index from the drop-down menu next to the search bar.

Full text database including manufacturers technical catalogues, handbooks and guides, construction standards and legislative material.

NBS (National Building Specification) is a platform for everyone involved in the design, supply and construction of the built environment. You will need to register with NBS to get an NBS ID. Complete the online registration form using your DMU email address. Please note: we no longer subscribe to the NBS Chorus element of NBS.

Watch, record, create clips, search for upcoming TV and radio programmes by title or keyword, compile favourite shows into playlists and share them with others. Only available in the UK. Use this guide to find out how to request programmes, edit them into clips, create and share playlists etc.

Essential for understanding Black history and culture, this online resource allows scholars to discover the migrations, communities, and ideologies of the African Diaspora through the voices of people of African descent.

This collection includes never-before digitised primary source documents, including personal papers, organisational papers, journals, newsletters, court documents, letters, and ephemera. The collection has a number of key partners like The National Archives and Records Administration (US), National Archives at Kew (UK), Royal Anthropological Institute, and Senate House Library (University of London).

An archive (1897 to 2005) of the weekly British culture and lifestyle magazine, Country Life, focusing on fine art and architecture, the great country houses, and rural living. Every page is fully searchable, and reproduced in full color and high resolution. Country Life Archive presents a chronicle of more than 100 years of British heritage, including its art, architecture, and landscapes, with an emphasis on leisure pursuits such as antique collecting, hunting, shooting, equestrian news, and gardening.

This online resource presents the records of major civil rights organisations and personal papers of leaders and observers of the 20th century Black freedom struggle. Civil rights leaders included are labour leader A. Philip Randolph, the long-time civil rights activist and organiser of the March on Washington, Bayard Rustin, and the papers of the pioneering educator Mary McLeod Bethune. Through records of Claude A. Barnett’s Associated Negro Press, the collection also branches out to cover other aspects of African American life in the 20th century, like religion, education, sports and entertainment.

This online collection is comprised of records of several important women’s rights organisations: the National Woman’s Party, the League of Women Voters, and the Women’s Action Alliance. The organisations were concerned with issues such as employment and employment discrimination, childcare, health care and education.

Kanopy provides access to critically-acclaimed movies, thought-provoking documentaries, award-winning foreign films and lots more.

When off campus, please click on Visit the Montfort Collection and then the Log in to Montfort link. You will then need to enter your DMU Single Sign On account to access the Kanopy site. If you have previously logged in as a DMU registered member then you may not be required to sign in again.

For any titles that are not immediately available to view on the Kanopy site, please complete the Kanopy request form. This will then be reviewed by the relevant subject team to see if a purchase can be approved.

You can watch Kanopy titles on a number of different mobile and TV apps. You can find more information about these different Kanopy apps through the Kanopy support pages.

An online legal research service including case law, legislation and commentary materials. Also provides access to a wide range of full-text local and national newspapers.

Please note: LexisNexis terms and conditions do not permit the uploading of Lexis content into third party applications, including artificial intelligence technologies such as large language models and generative AI (e.g. ChatGPT, Bing, Google Bard and Harvey).

A Black Lives Matter learning resource, featuring a collection of articles from the digital archives of over 50 different publications.