The reference library your classroom has been missing

Every architecture school has a material library. Almost none has a reference library. ArchiRef gives professors and students access to 4,000+ curated architectural projects — searchable by typology, material, style, location, and architect.

No doom-scrolling. No dead PDFs. No Pinterest. Just architecture, organized.

How professors use ArchiRef

Three features. One workflow. A reference library that grows with every course.

Curate reference boards

Create themed collections for each course: "Mediterranean Housing", "Adaptive Reuse in Europe", "Concrete Masterworks". Add projects in seconds from search results. Boards become your living syllabus.

Share one link, reach every student

Each board has a shareable link. Post it in your course platform, email it, or project it during a lecture. Students access the full collection instantly — no accounts required to browse.

Students save and build their own

Students save your boards to their personal library. They can also create their own boards for studios and competitions — building a reference archive that grows with their education and follows them into practice.

Missing a project?

If a project you need isn't in our database yet, use the Suggest button. We'll analyze it and include it so you can save it to an ordered board and share it with your students or fellow architects.

Search that understands architecture

ArchiRef isn't a keyword database. Type what you're actually looking for.

"brutalist universities in Latin America"
UNAM, UCV Caracas, University of São Paulo...
"Tadao Ando residential projects"
Church of the Light, Row House, Casa Wabi...
"timber housing Scandinavia after 2015"
Recent CLT projects in Denmark, Sweden, Norway
"museums with natural light"
Kimbell, Beyeler, Kolumba, Chichu...
"public space regeneration Mediterranean"
Superkilen, Metropol Parasol, Eleftheria Square

Every result includes architect, year, location, typology, materials, tags, and images — linked directly to the architect's own website.

Why ArchiRef belongs in your studio

Precedent analysis, not aestheticsProjects are classified by construction system, program, context, and intent. Not just pretty pictures.
Global coverage80+ countries, from emerging practices to Pritzker laureates. Students see the full breadth of the discipline.
Always currentNew projects added continuously. No static book that's outdated before it prints.
Credits the sourceEvery project links to its architect. We teach students to cite correctly by showing them how it's done.
Career-ready habitsStudents who build reference boards during school arrive at their first office with a working methodology.
Built by architectsArchiRef was created by a team of practicing architects who understand how architectural education works.

From classroom to career

New Student

Professor shares course boards. Students browse, discover, and learn to read precedent. They start understanding how to analyze built work systematically.

Experienced Student

Students create their own boards. Competition analysis, portfolio building. They curate a personal archive of references.

Practice

A graduate arrives at their first office with a personal archive of 500+ organized references — searchable, shareable, professional.

That doesn't happen with Pinterest.
That doesn't happen with Instagram saves.
That doesn't happen with scattered Google Drive folders.
It happens with ArchiRef.

Try it with your class

We're offering 50 days of free access for professors and their students. No credit card. No commitments. Just search.

After the trial, individual access is €2.99/month per student. We also offer class and department licenses.

Common questions

How much does it cost after the trial?

€2.99/month per student, or €30/year. Professors using the code get the same access while their class is active. Department licenses (unlimited students) start at €99/semester.

Do students need to create an account?

To browse boards shared by professors: no account needed. To create their own boards and save projects: free signup with email.

What does the 50-day trial include?

Full access. Unlimited searches, unlimited boards, all 4,000+ projects. Exactly what the paid version includes — no restrictions.

Is this like Pinterest for architecture?

No. Pinterest optimizes for aesthetics and engagement. ArchiRef is built by architects, for architects. Projects are classified by construction, context, and intent — not just how they photograph. Think of it as the collective memory of the discipline.

My students are broke. Is there a student discount?

If a professor enrolls their class, students get access to the class boards for free. Individual student accounts are €2.99/month — less than one espresso.

Questions about ArchiRef for your university?

founder@archirefstudio.com