Students working with archive material from the Drawings and Archives Collections
Copyright: British Architectural Library
In the Archives Collection, part of the RIBA Library Drawings and Archives Collections, are approximately 1.5 million items divided into over 800 individual manuscript collections. This is a valuable resource which provides students and researchers with an outstanding body of primary source material for the study of architecture and the development of the architectural profession in Britain. The collection holds items dating from the 17th century to the present day and is comprised of:
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architects' personal papers, correspondence, notebooks and diaries
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architects' job files, contracts, specifications and accounts
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press cuttings
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literary papers of architectural writers
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records of architectural societies
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notes and drafts of lectures, articles and books
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pamphlets, brochures and information leaflets
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the RIBA's own administrative archive
Part of a letter from 31 December 1841 by Sir George Gilbert Scott, with sketches of an early design for St Peter's Church, Kingston upon Thames, London
Copyright: RIBA, British Architectural Library
Research
The extensive nature of the collection means it contains information that is little known or yet to be fully exploited, making the archives an exciting resource for those wishing to produce original work using new evidence. Use the Archives Collection in conjunction with the Library's collections of books, drawings, journals and photographs to gain a comprehensive understanding of the history and practice of architecture. Among the topics that can be researched using the collection includes:
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individual buildings and building types
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history of architecture and the built environment
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architectural theory
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developments in construction
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town planning
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allied arts such as painting and sculpture
Sketches of the Union Buildings, Pretoria, in a letter by Sir Herbert Baker to Sir Edwin Lutyens dated 21 October 1909
Copyright: RIBA, British Architectural Library
Location and access
Location
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RIBA Architecture Study Rooms|, Victoria and Albert Museum, London
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Access
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Admission is free. Available during the opening hours| of the Study Rooms. All material is held in stores and collected at set times for visitors: 10.15am, 11.45am, 2pm and 3.15pm. Contact| the Drawings and Archives Collections to reserve material in advance and, due to the move of the outstore, to check their availability.
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Finding material
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To find out what drawings and archive material are held in the collections, search the online catalogue|. To perform a simple search of the catalogue enter a keyword and under the 'collections' drop-down menu select 'Drawings' or 'Archives'. Parts of the collections have been digitised and can be seen online via RIBApix|. Alternatively, please contact the Drawings and Archives Collections.
Please note that the RIBA's collections| of books, journals and photographs are located at 66 Portland Place, London
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