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Everyone knows architects have an eye for design. But even if you can’t afford a building, there are plenty of great gifts you can get your hands on without breaking the bank. We scoured Pinterest and other websites to find some beautiful, creative, and occasionally quirky gifts for the well-deserving architects who shape our cities and our world — and for those who appreciate them too.
And if you need more inspiration, check out architecture books for every person on your list and gifts for architecture students.
Frank Lloyd Wright Coonley Tumblers
These tumblers feature a wraparound design taken from Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1912 Avery Coonley playhouse window in Riverside, Illinois. They’re available as highball glasses too, and you can also get tumblers featuring his geometric butterfly designs in blue and gold. ($9.95/$8.96 for MoMA members)
ArcPress Wallet with Wood, Concrete, and Architectural Plan Finishes
ArcPress offers a beautiful bifold wallet with high-resolution material imagery including wood and concrete — but as an architect, it’s hard to resist the nerd-tastic “architectural plan” finish! The wallet offers RFID protection for added security and comes in its own arcPress gift box. Beautiful. ($23.99)
Image via Vitra
Vitra Design has been making these fun miniatures for more than 20 years. The collection includes chairs by all the major architects and design periods, from Art Nouveau to Mid-century Modern to contemporary design. You could give one of the mini lounge chairs to an Eames enthusiast, a tulip chair to a Saarinen buff, or give them all to somebody looking to start a collection of her own! (€29 and up)
Any architect, writer, or creative-minded individual would appreciate these notebooks featuring the Eames House of Cards designs. They come in small, medium, and large and feature a variety of images. They have an expandable back pocket and an elastic closure. ($11.98)
Archetype Z Studio was founded by Alia, who has architecture degrees from Berkley and UCLA and wanted to create beautiful, accessible objects that anyone can afford. She has several lines of geometric and architectural jewelry, many of which use advanced technology like 3D printing and laser cutting. ($32) (Also, check out this 3D printed architectural jewelry by Joshua DeMonte.)
All the Buildings in New York (That I’ve Drawn So Far) by James Gulliver Hancock
Australian artist James Gulliver Hancock has been diligently drawing all the buildings in New York, from the city’s architectural icons to anonymous apartment buildings. Any of his books or screen prints would make fantastic gifts for an architect or design enthusiast, and he has many to choose from: Check out every other city he’s drawn. ($19.95)
Bonus: Zaha Hadid Architects / Heydar Aliyev Center Throw Pillow
The late, great Zaha Hadid is famous for curvaceous, sometimes amorphous forms — both in her buildings and her furniture. But for those of us that can’t stretch to a bespoke Zaha Hadid-designed bench or lounge chair, this throw cushion adds a splash of iconic architectural design to any living space. ($9.98)
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