Jen Library Reference Department

Diller Scofidio’s Library © Carlos Solis - via archdaily.com

Fall Quarter will soon be upon us, but those of you lingering in the NYC area might want to check out this fascinating ongoing exhibit: Unpacking My Library: Architects and their Books , on view at Urban Center Books. A prolific architect’s library is featured each month; Liz Diller and Ric Scofidio are headlining September. For those of you who can’t make it there in person, the exhibition website features some interesting highlights, and a catalog will be published later this year – leave a comment if you’d like to see it at the Jen Library!

The organizers state: “Each architect’s library is unique and informs their practice in surprising ways. Their personal statements, and favorite books, show that they are not bound by architectural themes or a canonizing of architectural history.” What an interesting way to demonstrate the wide-ranging and very personal sources of inspiration and research that architects, designers, and artists require. Collections of text, images, and random bits of paper and ephemera can form a creative laboratory of sorts, and upon examination reveal quite a lot about the keeper’s interests and history.

A quick Google search reveals that there are plenty of artists and designers who love books, and are blogging about it. A few examples can be seen here, here, and here.

Do you have book collection? How does reading fit into your daily practice? Is there a book that is a must-read for others in your area of specialization? Tell us about it!

Image by Flickr User Stuck In Customs

The Acropolis. Michaelangelo’s Medici Chapel. Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye. While there’s no substitute for actually being there, the ARTstor database provides the next best thing: interactive, panoramic views of thousands of architectural icons. Sites and buildings from across the world, from antiquity to the present day, are available. Viewers can virtually place themselves within the image by looking around, up and down, as well as zooming in and out. And all it takes to get there is one simple search term.

While architects and art historians will appreciate the ability to closely inspect important details, I can easily see a game designer examining ancient temples while creating a Tomb Raider-style action sequence, or an interior designer gathering ideas for adding old-world library touches to a client’s study. Not to mention, the images are just fun to play around with!

To get started:

• Access ARTStor from SCAD Libraries’ list of databases (you will need your MySCAD ID to login)
• Type QTVR in the search box (with other keywords, if you like)
• Within the list of results, click the word “QTVR” which appears below the thumbnail (instead of the image itself)
• Enjoy!

And as with all of the material in ARTstor, SCAD students and faculty can use the images for research and classroom purposes, worry-free.