The Academic Library and Collaborative Architectural Education: Creating a Materials Collection at Cal Poly

Abstract

In an effort to promote a heightened awareness of building materials and their role in the design process, California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) has developed a materials collection for use by its faculty, students, and practicing architects. The collection is comprised of two linked and complementary entities—physical samples of building products and a custom online database—intended to foster the discovery, integration, and application of materials. The project was conceived and created by a diverse team from the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED), the campus library, and the college media resource center. This article describes the following aspects of the project: the rationale behind, inspiration for, and educational objectives of the materials collection; the history of materials collections; and the creation, challenges, and next steps for the materials collection at Cal Poly.