Make an appointment with Andrea Hall to help you get started on your research.

Toronto  Buildings

Getting Started

• Start with the TOBuilt website.  Note the details about your building.  Click the Sources link for articles and books about your building.  
• The Architectural Index for Ontario is a good source for basic information on buildings in Toronto.  It provides details, such as year built, architect, and building name(s).  It also provides a list of journal articles and books about your building.

Articles and Books

The library has newspapers, magazines, and journals with information on Toronto buildings.   You can also search our book collection.  While the Library Learning Commons is currently closed, we do have a number of e-books that might have information on your building. 

Articles:  Try searching on all aspects of the building, including:

• The current and former name(s) of the building
• The architect or firm that designed the building
• The architect or firm that did restoration work on the building

Go to the Library Learning Commons  website and enter your search.

This will allow you to simultaneously search a number of databases including  Art and Architecture Complete and CPI.Q.

Beyond Our Collection - E-books and Journals

• For Toronto buildings search:
  • TOBuilt (click the sources button at the bottom of the page)
  • The Architectural Index for Ontario (Archidont) from the Toronto Public Library for references to your building in books and journals
    • Journal /Royal Architectural Institute of Canada is available full-text from Dalhousie
• Search the Toronto Heritage Register if the building is designated.  
• Search the architect's/firm's website or does the building have a website. Look for awards or references to articles and books.

• Search the Internet Archive for books, journal articles and videos on your building or architect.  You must create a free account to borrow e-books at Sign up for an account.

• All George Brown College students are eligible to apply for a Toronto Public Library Card.  This allows you to use the TPL databases and to check out books.  The main Reference Library at Yonge and Bloor has an excellent architecture collection.  They have a number of print journals that pre-date our print collection and a large architecture book collection.  These online databases may have articles on your building

  • JSTOR  

  • Art Full Text

• Use Google Books to search through the full-text of books for references to your building.  The book may not be available for viewing so check the Search Everything to see if we hold the e-book.  You can also search the Internet Archives for an e-book copy.  Try the Toronto Public Library for a print copy.

Drawings

• Journal articles and books often have drawings of the buildings.

• Toronto Archives (temporarily closed due to Covid-19 but look for digitized copies of drawings) 
• Archives of Ontario (temporarily closed due to Covid-19 but look for digitized copies of drawings) 
• Toronto Public Library (limit to image files)
• Canadian Architectural Archives (University of Calgary)
• Canadian Architecture Collection (McGill) 
• The Great Buildings Collection has basic information but also a good bibliography on featured buildings. 
• ArchDaily features project files on buildings
• Architect Magazine Project Gallery
• Dezeen
• Architectural Record: Record Houses  Record Houses from 2006 to present. Includes index to Record Houses from 2001-2005.
• Building website
• National archives and/or national architectural associations

Canadian/International Buildings

Getting Started

• The Great Buildings Collection, Dezeen and ArchDaily are good resources for the basics on international buildings. 

Articles and Books

The library has newspapers, magazines, and journals with information on Canadian and international buildings.   You can also search our book collection.  While the Library Learning Commons is currently closed, we do have a number of e-books that might have information on your building. 

Articles:  Try searching on all aspects of the building, including:

• The current and former name(s) of the building
• The architect or firm that designed the building
• The architect or firm that did restoration work on the building

Go to the Library Learning Commons  website and enter your search.

This will allow you to simultaneously search a number of databases including  Art and Architecture Complete and CPI.Q.

Search the main search box below. This will allow you to simultaneously search a number of databases including  Art and Architecture Complete and CPI.Q.

Beyond Our Collection - E-books and Journals

• Search the architect's/firm's website or does the building have a website. Look for awards or references to articles and books.
• Journal /Royal Architectural Institute of Canada is available full-text from Dalhousie 

• Search the Internet Archive for books, journal articles and videos on your building or architect.  You must create a free account to borrow e-books at Sign up for an account.

• All George Brown College students are eligible to apply for a Toronto Public Library Card.  This allows you to use the TPL databases and to check out books.  The main Reference Library at Yonge and Bloor has an excellent architecture collection.  They have a number of print journals that pre-date our print collection and a large architecture book collection.  These online databases may have articles on your building

  • JSTOR  

  • Art Full Text

• Search the RIBA catalogue for references to your building that may not come up in your initial search. Some of these resources may be available in our collection.  Most of these books and journals can be found at the Toronto Public Library.

• Use Google Books to search through the full-text of books for references to your building.  The book may not be available for viewing so check the Search Everything to see if we hold the e-book.  You can also search the Internet Archives for an e-book copy.  Try the Toronto Public Library for a print copy.

Drawings

• Journal articles and books often have drawings of the buildings.
• Archives of Ontario (temporarily closed due to Covid-19 but look for digitized copies of drawings) 
• Toronto Public Library (limit to image files)
• Canadian Architectural Archives (University of Calgary)
• Canadian Architecture Collection (McGill) 
• The Great Buildings Collection has basic information but also a good bibliography on featured buildings. 
• ArchDaily features project files on buildings
• Architect Magazine Project Gallery
• Dezeen
• Architectural Record: Record Houses  Record Houses from 2006 to present. Includes index to Record Houses from 2001-2005.
• Building website
• National archives and/or national architectural associations

Toronto Heritage Register

The Toronto Heritage Register allows you to search for basic information on a number of historic buildings in Toronto.  This basic information is found in the Heritage Property Detail record which can be searched either via the Heritage Register Search map or by using the Heritage Property Search tool. 

The Heritage Property Detail record provides basic information on heritage buildings including:

• the architect
• year built
• current and former name(s)
• Heritage designation bylaw number
• Heritage Easement Agreement number  

All of this information will be useful when searching for information on

• architectural or cultural significance
• materials and methods
• Heritage Designation Bylaw
• blueprints
• historical articles 
• current articles

Archidont - Architectural Index for Ontario

Toronto Reference Library's Architectural Index for Ontario is another good resource for basic information about historic buildings in  Toronto.  You can browse the index by designer/architect, building name, building type or street. The entry provides basic information on the building as well as an index to articles about the building.

Each listing also provides references to current and historical books and articles on the building.