RIBA Library Catalogue

Not only useful for planning visits to the library, as the catalogue includes the details of architects for all projects across a huge range of architecture and design publications.

Heritage Gateway

Includes information from the National Heritage List for England, local Historic Environment Records, and is the only place to find reports for Historic England’s decisions not to list buildings from the past five years.

UK Modern House Index

Probably the biggest database of twentieth century houses across the country compiled from various sources.

Tower Block

Miles Glendinning’s photographic collection paired with research into the building type and its history supported by the University of Edinburgh

Mainstream Modern

Richard Brook collates information to accompany his photographs of buildings across the country that meet his fascination with architecture of the welfare state, concrete, industrial and functional architecture and system building.

Cinema Theatre Association Listed Cinemas

The CTA’s exhaustive list of all cinemas in England that have been listed.

Public Monuments and Sculpture Association National Recording Project

The PMSA’s public sculpture recording project has been integrated into the ArtUK online database.

Great Buildings

A survey of international architectural icons.

Iconic Houses

The index of the Iconic Houses Network, an international network connecting architecturally significant houses and artists’ homes and studios from the 20th century that are open to the public as house museums.

Taking Stock

HLF-funded survey of Catholic Churches in Britain, with information for certain Dioceses not yet added.

National Churches Trust

Stained Glass Record

London Church Buildings

Civic Trust Award Archive

A record of all projects awarded a Commendation or Award in the prize scheme that has been running since 1959.

Dictionary of Scottish Architects

Akin to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, but for Architects who have worked in Scotland. Notable names include Sir Robert Matthew and Stirrat Johnson-Marshall of RMJM and Jack Coia and Isi Metzstein of Gillespie Kidd & Coia.

Engineering Timelines Biographies

Includes information about key twentieth century figures Tony Hunt and Peter Rice, and the projects they worked on.

Concrete Quarterly

A firm favourite among the C20 staff, CQ (the journal of the Cement and Concrete Association) has featured pretty much everything that involved concrete from 1947 onwards.

Arup Journal

The in-house journal of the renowned interdisciplinary design practice, starting in 1966. The early issues have fabulous cover images, such as the Emley Moor television tower featured in 1972.

Modern Mooch

Steve Marland’s photographs of buildings he visits, focused in the North West. He has a great eye for detail and weaves fascinating references into each journey.

Modernism in Metroland

Josh Abbott’s visits around the capital reveals the full breadth of architectural styles used in the first half of the twentieth century, with the occasional foray into post-war architecture as well. Particularly useful for Holden-era tube stations and industrial Art Deco.

The Beauty of Transport

Daniel Wright’s images and stories of transport architecture, design and art across the globe.

Municipal Dreams

Municipal Dreams celebrates the efforts and achievements of our early municipal reformers.

RIBA Image Library

A huge range of photographs, including many from the architectural press. Images are usefully tagged by project, architect and photographer.

Historic England Image Library

HE’s photo collection is vast and includes recent building recording projects and photos taken for publications as well as historic images. The ongoing digitisation of the John Laing Photography Collection is a treasure trove.

Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland

HES’s image archive that includes photographs and plans from the Sir Basil Spence digitisation project.

Francis Frith

The history of UK towns is particularly interesting to track the development of commercial centres and to see buildings in their original context.

Local Archives Photo Collections
Most local authorities have local studies collections with partially digitised photography collections. The London Metropolitan Archives collection is called Collage, for example:

The Churches of Britain and Ireland

Steve Bulman’s excellent project including over 34,000 churches of all denominations. Short entries with the photos and frequently updated. The aim being to have at least one photo of every existing church in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

Michael Heyward Architectural Photography

Better known as Mid Mod Plus on Instagram, Michael Hayward has set out across London and the South East to take excellent photos of post-war housing. Head to his Instagram @midmodplus to see cringe-worthy examples of insensitive alterations such as fake leaded windows.

Modern London Houses

Dave Anderson’s comprehensive photographic record that ties in with UKMoHo.

Cambridge 2000
One section of Wayne Boucher’s vast photo collection focuses on Cambridge architecture, including lots of Colleges that are tricky to see on Google Street View.

Flickr Groups
C20 has a Flickr account and there is also a Friends of C20 group. Third party groups of interest include Modernist Houses and Post-War Houses, both moderated by Chris Moxey.

Preserving Womersley