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Archinect's 2024 Holiday Gift Guide

2024-11-28T09:00:00-05:00

The holiday season is here, and if you're looking for the perfect gift to celebrate, it's time to take a peek at Archinect's curated 2024 gift guide with items selected personally by our editorial team.

Whether you're an architect, student, or just a straight-up fan of all things design, we've got you covered. This year, our recommendations ranged in scope from must-see documentaries to home goods to architect-designed timepieces and everything that falls between.

The list is broken down into broader categories for your convenience. Now, let's take a look, vet some of the gift ideas, contemplate, test, choose, and enjoy!

Watches designed by (some Pritzker-winning) architects

Image credit: Louis Vuitton

Frank Gehry for Louis Vuitton: Tambour Moon Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève Sapphire — Sold here

What's better than Frank's longstanding collaboration with the luxury retailer? The watch is part of a unique collection inspired by the architecture of Gehry's Fondation Louis Vuitton in Pa...

Archinect's 2023 Holiday Gift Guide

2023-11-22T19:44:00-05:00

The holiday season is upon us, and if you're looking for the perfect gift to give this year OR you're scoping out a special something to give yourself, explore Archinect's curated gift guide picked by our editorial team.

Whether you're shopping for the architect, student, or design aficionado in your life, we've got you covered. This year, our recommendations range from discussion starter home goods to impress your holiday guests, bespoke items for the office, a unique chess set, our favorite coffee accessories to accompany Archinect's Brutal coffee, and more! To help shoppers this season, we've broken down this year's list by price to help you and your wallet.

Gifts Under $50

Frank Lloyd Wright Tea Towel — Buy here

This jacquard tea towel inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic glass window design at his 1895 Oak Park Home and Studio is almost too nice to dry your dishes with, so we certainly won't be judging if you just display it for its decorative value. (Retail price $14.96)

B...

Archinect's 2022 Holiday Gift Guide

2022-11-25T15:18:00-05:00

The holidays are here, and if you're looking for the perfect gift to give to a special someone OR you're looking for a gift to give yourself this year, check out our curated list of ideas from Archinect's editorial team.

Whether you're shopping for the architect, student, or design professional in your life, we've got you covered. This year, our team's recommendations range from must-read books, fun home goods, and our favorite coffee accessories to accompany Archinect's Brutal coffee. From simple and practical gifts to those worth splurging on, we've crafted a helpful gift guide for you this holiday season.

Meet Me by the Fountain by Alexandra Lange

Meet Me by the Fountain by Alexandra Lange — buy here

If you're looking for a book that's filled with easy-to-digest information about malls, their nostalgic appeal, and fabled history, this is the perfect book to add to your library. In true Lange fashion, she provides nuanced perspectives paired with detailed research that helps her re...

Archinect's 2020 Holiday Gift Guide

2020-12-14T23:01:00-05:00

With the holidays upon us and last-minute gift-giving slowly creeping, shopping for that architect, student, or design professional in your life can be tricky. However, the team at Archinect has you covered.

This year our editors put together a list of curated must-have items from businesses and organizations passionate about design and doing good. Whether you're looking for something simple and practical or something to help spark creativity in those young and old, we have the perfect gift guide for you.

Troika Zimmermann Clutch Pencil with Scale

Troika Zimmermann Clutch Pencil with Scale - buy here

Clutch pencils are a classic drawing tool that gives designers a wide range of options when sketching. Instead of switching through various led sizes, this tool allows users to draw fine lines, heavy ones, shade, and much more.

reMarkable Paper Tablet

reMarkable Paper Tablet - buy here

If you're struggling to keep physical and digital notes, sketches, and drawings organized, give this di...

Still need the perfect stocking stuffer or gift for your architecture-loving friend?

2019-12-19T17:18:00-05:00

Here are a few suggestions from Archinect Outpost. Order today for delivery before Christmas!

GLOBAL ARCHITECT CARD

A perfect gift for any architect that loves to travel. The Global Architect Card is an essential item for the traveling architecture enthusiast. With a lightweight steel body that provides legitimacy any time it's used, the Global Architect Card does the legwork when you're hoping to gain access to the most impressive buildings around the world. It announces your intentions in 14 languages: "I am an architect. I am here to see this significant building."

BRUTAL COFFEE: COLOMBIA IBAGUÉ

Our latest single-origin roast, from the Ibagué region in Colombia is absolutely delicious. With notes of chocolate, peanut and raisin, these whole coffee beans are roasted to work perfectly in any preparation - pour over, espresso, brew... stock is limited for the holidays so order soon.

ARCHITECTURE SUCKS T-SHIRT

This shirt can be interpreted in many ways, so choose your own interpreta...

Creating a mini building at your desk never seemed more fun

2018-12-12T18:58:00-05:00

Now featured in our Downtown LA retail store and online at Archinect Outpost, these miniature building materials will make your other office mates jealous.

The team at Mini Materials have created scaled construction toys that not only look amazing but are functional just like their life size counterparts. A perfect desk accessory or a neat gift for the building fanatic in your life, Mini Materials creates a wonderful take on making construction materials available and accessible for all to enjoy.

1:6 Scale Mini Red Bricks (24pk + Pallet) Image © Mini Materials

Made of actual concrete and brick materials, these miniature building pieces look and feel like the real thing. Available in an assortment of sizes and material types building enthusiasts can purchase cinder blocks, bricks, lumber, even a mini jersey barrier.

The founders of Mini Materials started their venture in 2015 after noticing that "the world was lacking realistic versions of the most common building materials used tod...

Archinect's 2018 Holiday Guide, Part 2: Gifts for Architects from the Archinect Outpost

2018-12-11T13:17:00-05:00

Since opening on June 15th, Archinect Outpost, our online and retail store in Downtown Los Angeles, has exclusively been a purveyor of architectural periodicals and monographs. But as of this month, we have added a small selection of items that will hopefully delight the architecturally-spirited. From Archinect's own new line of coffee, to miniature cinder blocks, to half timber t-shirts, here is Archinect Outpost's gift guide for the holidays.

All in-stock merchandise is available in our Downtown LA store and online. If you're outside of the USA, please contact us for shipping information. If you're in the LA area, make sure to swing by our holiday party at Archinect Outpost this Saturday, from 11-3, for drinks, snacks, music, and sales!

For your brutal all-nighter: At long last, Archinect's new coffee line, Brutal, is now available for purchase online and in store. Available either with with the Guatemala Ceiba's notes of tobacco, plum and cane sugar or Brazil Yellow Diamond's al...

Archinect's 2018 Holiday Guide, Part 1: Gifts for Architects to Give and Receive this Holiday Season

2018-11-21T12:48:00-05:00

Architects can be a tricky bunch to buy presents for given their penchant for high-quality design. Luckily, our curated gift guide will make it easy. Whether your family, friend or co-worker is practical or luxe—is into modernism or prefers Swiss design—there is something on this list for just about everyone. And, you might even find something to add to your own wishlist!

For the traveling urbanist: As great as the classic Moleskine is, their travel-centric City Notebook collection is a welcome addition to give that explorer in your life. Featuring places like Paris, New York, and Rome, these handy guides offer preliminary pages for planning your trip; tabbed spaces for you to note where to eat, drink, and visit; and include detailed area maps to help you find your way around.

Buy here.

For the gravity-defying sculptor: These colorful, stone-shaped blocks allow you to create, and then re-create, your own sculptures. Whether balancing them as high as they will go, or setting up a ser...

Archinect's 2017 Holiday Gift Guide

2017-12-01T12:10:00-05:00

Today is the 1st of December, which means if you've been managing to fend off the holiday cheer that seems to begin earlier each year, now is probably the time to get excited, or at the very least prepared. That means gifts, for your family, your friends, your co-workers, and maybe even yourself. If you're anything like me, this time often involves numerous panicked visits to the mall and desperate perusals online for the perfect gift. But, luckily for you, to save some stress, we've curated some pretty good options this year for the architects and design enthusiasts in your life.

For the Post-modern coffee (or tea) drinker: these 1st Floor Grey Mugs designed by Adam Nathaniel Furman are a great option for your co-worker who always seems to go for that second cup.

Buy here.

For the Brutalist who prefers Espresso: this concrete espresso machine, that also comes in Corian, is sure to turn heads while also delivering cafe-quality brews. A product from the design studio Montaag, the esp...

This holiday season, avoid your family AND learn something by cozying up with these books

2016-11-25T13:16:00-05:00

Everyone on their phones at the holiday table is a depressing reality of our modern era—so why not balance it out, by gifting everyone some solid books to cozy up with? Failing that: books are also great for dressing coffee tables, door jams, impressing dates, or keeping jewels in their hollowed out insides. Pull one from our curated list below, to gift anyone or treat yourself this holiday season:

For the L.A. romantic: Dingbat 2.0, "the first critical study of the most ubiquitous and mundane building type in Los Angeles: the dingbat apartment."

For the New York romantic: Never Built New York, where "visions for an alternate New York-urbanism abound: aborted reflections of their time, place and politics."

For the social scientist: The Creative Architect, which uncovers the historic 1960s psychology study where "Eero Saarinen, Philip Johnson, Richard Neutra, William Pereira and dozens of other architects were put through a barrage of tests and surveys, to gain a better understanding of...

9 perfect, (mostly) analogue gifts for architects to give and receive this holiday season

2016-11-23T15:15:00-05:00

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming, and you still haven't squared away gifts for family, friends or co-workers. Whether you're a bit shaky on your firm's gift-giving etiquette, or just hate shopping, our curated gift guide will make it easy.

For the thirsty minimalist: a simple, slim and portable thermos. Stay hydrated and/or caffeinated wherever you go.Buy here.

For the sustainable itinerant: one-of-a-kind tote by Indianapolis' own People for Urban Progress, made from upcycled Superbowl banners and reclaimed seatbelts. Fits your laptop and all the fixin's.Buy here, and listen to our podcast episode with PUP.

For the exacting host: yes, it's a protractor cutting board, for precise portioning of all your slices. Buy here.

For those rainy photoshopping days: a black-and-white gradient puzzle! Perfect for friends or enemies.Buy here.

For Greg Lynn-lovers: these globular candles will no doubt inspire your next topographical experimentation. Or at the very least, melt in a cool way.Buy ...

Archinect's 2015 holiday guide to architecture books

2015-12-17T14:42:00-05:00

No matter how prepared I think I am, December is always a frenzy. Between wrapping up end-of-the-year projects and remembering to buy wrapping paper, the days disappear faster than my coworker’s toffee. If you’re anything like me, the holidays are heralded by a panicky visit to the mall and a desperate scramble to find the right gift. Chances are that gift will be a book (sorry, sis).

Luckily for you, we’ve put together a handy guide to some of this year’s most exciting titles. Have an architecture student in the family? No problem. A vegan, card-carrying eco-warrior aunt? Perfect. A cousin who just loves design? We’ve got you covered.

And if you have a long-haul flight coming up, treat yourself to one of these great titles and you’ll arrive at your destination before you know it!

The Young-at-Heart

Architecture is always changing and it can be hard to catch up. Young Architects 16: Overlay highlights the six emerging American firms who won the prestigious Architectural League Prize, an...