Writing the perfect thesis can be a daunting experience. While also juggling other deadlines, internships, projects and tests, final year architecture students are faced with the various challenges that thesis research brings in. Right from finalizing a suitable topic to identifying and analysing verified research data, the entire process is quite taxing on the mind and time-consuming.
To make your journey a little simpler, here’s a compilation of ten websites that can aid your architectural thesis research:
1. Library Genesis
The holy grail of research papers, dissertations, scholarly articles, scientific projects, journals, books, paintings and magazines, Library Genesis is a must-visit website for thesis research. It provides access to documents that are otherwise paywalled or not digitized and enables users to download and/or upload data. The website provides a searchable database from publicly available resources and currently holds over three million files!
The website can be accessed at: http://libgen.li/
2. The Pudding
Students engaged in thesis research often face difficulties while attempting to obtain reliable data when it comes to area-wise population density. Especially in areas where documented information in the field is sparse, this website can be of great help. The Pudding is a project that utilizes satellite imagery, census data and volunteered geographic information to create near-accurate population density maps. The website not only lets the user explore current population trends but also lets one compare data collected over the years.
The website can be accessed at: https://pudding.cool/2018/10/city_3d/
3. Ventusky
Ventusky is a Czech based website that presents real-time meteorological data. It simplifies one’s research by offering various parameters of climatic information on a single platform, thereby cutting down multiple website visits and analysis time. It offers a range of forecast models including the ICON, GFS, GEM, HRRR and NBM and covers thirteen meteorological factors (Temperature, Precipitation, Radar, Satellite, Clouds, Wind Speed, Wind Gust, Air Pressure, Thunderstorms, Humidity, Waves, Snow Cover and Air Quality). It also lets the user access each of the parameters on eighteen different altitude levels.
The website can be accessed at: https://www.ventusky.com/
4. JSTOR
Another online library, JSTOR has an extensive collection of academic journals, articles, scientific publications, photographs and research papers. With a user-friendly interface and millions of rights-cleared sources, this website is a great companion for architecture students pursuing a thesis. This website also offers an advanced image searching option that can aid research.
The website can be accessed at: https://www.jstor.org/
5. The Courtauld Institute’s Conway Library
This website is a digital collection of architectural drawings, publications, photographs and cuttings from the Courtauld Institute of Art, based in London, United Kingdom. It offers thousands of digitized files from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries and is a great resource for thesis research work.
The website can be accessed at: http://www.artandarchitecture.org.uk/
6. ArchDaily
ArchDaily is a household name for architecture students. Aside from news, competitions and reviews, the blog offers millions of detailed case studies on projects. Highlighting relevant specifications of architectural design with technical drawings and pictures, Archdaily can cover a major chunk of your preliminary studies! Additionally, it is one of the most visited architecture websites in the world and attracts over 160 million monthly users.
The website can be accessed at: https://www.archdaily.com/
7. Architect Magazine
This website rolls out hundreds of articles every day, describing the latest projects, technologies, products, events and building resources in the architecture industry. It covers multiple facets of the architectural community through insightful reviews by architects and journalists from across the world. Architect Magazine is a great tool to enhance thesis research by learning and discovering practices around the world.
The website can be accessed at: https://www.architectmagazine.com/
8. Andrew Marsh: 3D Sun Path
Acquiring and plotting accurate sun paths can be a cumbersome process. Andrew Marsh’s Sun Path website simplifies this task by providing solar information according to the location’s geographic coordinates. The site not only maps the sun’s annual path in three dimensions, but it also lets the user observe the behaviour of light during different times of the day. The website also projects shadows of 3d buildings that can be modified by the user.
The website can be accessed at: http://andrewmarsh.com/apps/staging/sunpath3d.html
9. Harvard Digital Collection Library
Opening doors to an Ivy League library, Harvard’s Digital Collection Website is another online database with millions of digitized files. Users can search for information within a range of years with an advanced search option. Adding to the vast collection of text files, the digital library also provides maps, 3d material, audio and videos.
The website can be accessed at: https://digitalcollections.library.harvard.edu/
10. Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD)
The Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD) website is a thesis exclusive online database. It offers a range of filters including university, country, language, department and degree that can be instrumental in simplifying thesis research. Indexing nearly 60 lakh publications from over 1100 universities, this non-profit website is one of the best open access dissertation databases on the internet.
The website can be accessed at: https://oatd.org/
11. Rethinking The Future
Rethinking The Future (RTF) is a digital platform that aims to inspire individuals to think, create and criticize. The team at RTF rolls out hosts of digital content that is instrumental in thesis research including design journals, courses, collated articles and projects.The website extends its presence on social media as well, with thought provoking articles and designs posted on a regular basis.
The website can be accessed at: https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/
12. ISSUU
A Danish startup based in California, ISSUU is every creator’s go-to publishing platform. This website allows designers and enthusiasts to create and share their work with the world. Users can distribute, measure and monetize their content while also exploring other work in their niche.
The website can be accessed at: https://issuu.com/
