It is said that ‘A gift is only as good as the amount of thought that went into selecting it.’

So if you’re looking for creative gift ideas for a fellow architect/interior designer, here is our top 5 selection. Remember that you can – and probably should – gift yourself too!

1. LEGO Architecture Set

No, LEGO is not only for kids. And yes, I was just as surprised as you are when I first discovered that they have a dedicated architecture collection!

These are collectibles representing the most iconic architecture buildings from around the world. Paris is one of them: LEGO Architecture Skyline Collection - Paris.
But you have to build them first of course, where the whole fun starts.

And there are so many different cities other than Paris. You can check the complete LEGO Architecture collection here to choose what you love.

2. Moleskine Bundle Travel Kit

If you haven’t used – or heard – of Moleskine, you may not be an official architect yet!
Joking, of course, but there is truly something universal about the paper feel, the design feel of these little classy notebooks.

And…look what I discovered! A Moleskine Bundle Travel Kit!
As if taking my notebook with me anywhere I go wasn’t enough, I can now have a special set to sketch and write all-things-architecture during my travels. How cool is that for a gift to an architect who loves traveling?

3. Audible Membership Gift
Four years ago, I had a two-hours commute per day, to-from work. I was nagging about it to a friend, and I still recall his answer: ‘Why don’t you listen to audiobooks? I bet you wouldn’t want the traffic to end.’

Audiobooks? I loved reading books when I was younger, but ever since I started studying architecture, no thank you. I need to sleep instead. Or live a little.
But audiobooks? Was that even a thing? Where? How?

So he introduced me to Audible, an Amazon company. You download an app on your phone and you listen to any book anytime. My life changed that day.

So just like that friend gifted me such a piece of valuable information, I thought you’d want to do the same for a dear friend. You can even gift them a 3-months Audible membership gift so that they get introduced to this whole new world.

4. Tablet Stylus
This should be a gift for yourself if you like sketching. Not for someone else, unless you know specifically which tablet they have.

And I want to include it in this list because I was so eager to get it while researching and waiting for it to arrive! What about you? Have you tried experimenting with digital drawings?

It is the future. And it can be sometimes more practical and versatile than basic sketching because it’s like having a whole suitcase filled with all sorts of pencils, colors, brushes…all in one mini-stylus.

But which stylus to choose? I’ve spent months searching for the perfect one. And this small recap might help you choose yours.

Simply, remember that you have 4 important criteria to check, and you’re good to go. Especially that you’d need the stylus for sketching and not only for note-taking, it should:

1- Be compatible with the tablet that you have. This can be easily checked on the page where you’re buying the stylus.
2- Have a palm-rejection feature so you don’t make marks with your palm while sketching.
3- Be pressure-sensitive, so that it mimics the way a normal pencil works. The stroke can start off strong and finish lighter depending on your move.
4- Be able to write when it’s tilted. Again, just like you would hold a normal pen. Otherwise, it’s really tricky and not intuitive to sketch with it. It’s basically impossible to hold it upwards the whole time.

The stylus that does the best at checking the last three criteria is the obvious Apple Pencil.

And yes, I’ve tried sketching with many styluses and this is the one that feels most like a normal pen. Loved it! However, where it falls flat is that it’s not compatible with a whole range of tablets. Even with older models of IPads.

That’s why if you don’t have a compatible tablet, your next best choice is Adonit Pixel.

Its advantage is that it’s compatible with a wide range of tablets. And it actually ticks all the criteria noted up there. It’s just slightly bulkier than the Apple Pencil, that’s all.

Once you choose your stylus, you have a wide range of digital sketching apps that are compatible with either one of them. I’ve tried the Pixel with multiple apps and, so far, it works best with Autodesk Sketchbook. I would recommend this pairing.

5. Yes is More!

Here’s my all-time favorite architecture book to finish this selection on a high note: Yes is More, by Bjarke Ingels. If you know an architecture student who’s wondering how to create concepts, and how to think like an architect, this book is a MUST. And I can’t stress that enough.

And do I even need to say that it’s a comics book? Yes, Bjarke Ingels explains the thought process behind all of his projects in a funny illustrated way. The projects that saw the light, and those that didn’t. So it’s a perfect guide to concept creation for all the architects in your life.

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