Online AEC resources: Web sites serve up architectural information - i-collaboration: tools and technologies for collaborative design

CADalyst, Nov, 2003 by Bill Burchard

This month, I review Web sites of particular interest to architects and others in the AEC industry. Whether you're a seasoned professional, an up-and-coming star, or someone who needs a dream home designed, these sites fill the bill.

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS www.aia.org

The AIA (American Institute of Architects) built an extensive Web site designed to meet the needs of architects. The site is organized into four main categories: Members, Public Affairs, Emerging Professionals, and Architects' Clients. Each section contains items of interest to that particular group and includes announcements (click on the moving icon) as well as images of award-winning designs. Move your cursor over an image to display pertinent information.

The home page conveniently lists quick links to the site's major points of interest, including continuing education, the career center, awards and competitions, and AIA conferences and events. At the time of this review, relevant links included AIA Press Releases, AIA Member Announcements, and AIA Education Policies.

During my visit, articles and announcements posted on the Members page and the Public Affairs covered government affairs, education, and issues in architecture. Relevant topics included "California Commission Votes to Support Use of NFPA Codes," "AIA Education Policies Open for Public Review," and "ArchVoices Announces Essay Competition Winners." These samples represent the kind of relevant topics you'll typically find.

The Emerging Professionals page provides links and information for those entering the architecture field, with sections such as internship tools, mentoring, and scholarship opportunities.

For those looking for an architect, the Architect's Clients page provides a directory of AIA architects from around the United States. It also includes explanations of the types of architectural disciplines--commercial, institutional, and residential--and what each can do for you.

Each page also provides access to AIA's Knowledge Communities, which are sources of information, research, practical help, and education. Those interested are invited to join one or more of the 30 Knowledge Communities, which are dedicated to different aspects of architectural practice, such as construction management, school design, and facility management.

You can browse the AIA's Library, a collection of over 40,000 volumes, 3,000 rare books and serials, and 200 periodicals. Through the online library catalog, AIA members can check out books for a period of 28 days. Books are shipped to members via UPS.

You can sign up for online distance education courses through the AIA eClassroom, which features the most popular sessions from recent AIA national conventions and seminars, including courses on design, presentation skills, and strategic business planning. You can also browse the AIA calendar of events (figure 1).

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ARCHGUIDE.COM www.archguide.com

Archguide.com is an international portal for sharing content related to architecture. It's a place where architects and industry enthusiasts can post links to articles, events, competitions, Web sites, and more. Consequently, if you're interested in keeping current in the world of architecture, archguide.com should be one of your first stops.

Archguide.com visitors can add links to sites, competitions, exhibitions, and reviews from around the world. Submitted links are reviewed for relevance and organized into a variety of categories, including architecture (magazines, competitions, museums), professional services and organizations, design services, jobs and education, and newsgroups and discussion forums.

Other links focus on building services (renovations and construction), building law, materials (concrete, wood, insulation, brickwork), and finishing (electrical, lighting, kitchen, elevators, furniture).

Since the late 1990s, archguide.com has posted and archived news, reviews, articles, competitions, and exhibitions. Posted news and reviews are assigned to one of four categories: architectural, building, competition, and design.

The site divides competitions into international, regional, and student. Exhibitions are grouped into international, regional, and virtual categories.

Archguide.com also includes links to building sites and architectural books. All posted buildings link to sites with more detailed information and photographs. The books section lists architectural books with a brief overview of each publication's content.

E-INTERIORS.NET www.e-interiors.net

E-interiors.net, an online catalog of furnishing products, is a reference for architects and interior designers. The catalog includes products from furnishing companies located throughout Europe and America. It also features downloadable 2D and 3D CAD files of products as well as technical information and images.

The online catalog lets you search for products by brand and by designer. If you know precisely what you are looking for, you can enter the manufacturer or designer's name to access the information directly. You can also perform general keyword searches for products.