As a follow-on to our groundbreaking study for the Department of Architecture and Design of The Art Institute of Chicago - Collecting, Archiving, and Exhibiting Digital Design Data - KFA developed specifications and a work plan for implementation of the Digital Archive for Architecture System (DAArch). A multi-institutional Preservation Policy Committee was established to provide guidance on, and validation of, project goals.

Activities included developing a new registration and accessioning process and license agreements for digital acquisitions. In collaboration with the Art Institute, KFA incorporated and adapted the selected metadata schema (CDWA) to meet the needs of the Department of Architecture and Design.

The software architecture was designed for portability to other institutions and with minimal customization to the underlying DSpace digital repository. The resulting software specifications included a Web-browser client and middleware application, as well as mockups of the user interface, acceptance testing criteria and hardware and software specifications.

KFA undertook the development of the Web-browser client and a developer from the Art Institute created the middleware components that provide communication between the client and the digital repository. The client, developed in PHP and JavaScript and using SOAP communications, is the user interface for submitting, searching and retrieving digital design data objects. Functions also include management of controlled vocabularies and authorities and an efficient approach for creating multiple, similar object records. System development, testing, documentation and a pilot project were completed in May 2007.

DAArch has been posted on SourceForge: Institutions interested in building a system can retrieve the applications from SourceForge Open Source software development website.

DAArch Demo Site: KFA has launched a demonstration DAArch system where visitors can interact with the application. For more information, click here.

DAArch Users Guide: KFA has posted the DAArch Users Guide. To download the users guide, click here.