Talk about waiting until the last minute. Holiday gift giving is in full swing, but there’s still a little time left to buy a fellow architect (or aspiring one) a gift that nods to the profession. Some gifts are practical, and some are fun. Some aren’t cheap, and some fit anyone’s budget. If you’re still searching for just the right thing, try one of these 4 gifts to suit any architects discerning taste.
#1: Tombow Dual Brush Pens
Markers are one of those staples that you can never have too many of. When your stash runs dry, there’s always a co-worker or two to borrow from. So do the nice thing and give the gift of dual brush marker pens. The Tombow name is architect approved.
Forget everything that you know about building bricks. Well, almost everything.
#2: LEGO® for Architects
It’s a real thing! You played with them when you were a kid, and some kids never grow up. But the LEGO® Architecture brick sets don’t come with swords or pirate ships. Don’t let that be a distractor, though. They are every bit as fun to use as any of the more common sets, and these add in some architecture education along the way. Do you have a friend who wishes she’d built Fallingwater? Now she can. Well, at least in LEGO® form.
An embossing tool makes personalizing books easier, plus it looks classy.
#3: Book Embossing Tool
For all of the books that architects collect, it can still be challenging to buy the right one as a gift. Instead of trying to please someone else’s taste in reading material, Architect magazine says that a book embosser is a great accessory. There are several embossers on the market. Customize the plate with the recipient’s monogram or name and he can personalize all of his books for years to come.
#4: Architecture Coffee Mug
Does anyone drink more caffeinated beverages than your friendly neighborhood architect? Probably not. This year, give a college the gist that keeps serving it up complete with architectural drawings of 10 famous buildings. Find it at The Unemployed Philosopher, and many other online retailers.
#5: Architect’s Bird Feeder
Is there an ornithology hobbyist on your list this year? The Architect’s Birdfeeder looks nothing like the log cabins and balsa wood houses that everyone else has. Made with sleek, contemporary lines from clear, shiny plastic, this food dispenser is designed to keep inclement weather and pests such as squirrels out while allowing birds to get all of the treats that they want.
The holidays might nearly be over, but there is still time to pick up last-minute gifts for a co-worker or friend in the industry. If you hurry, you can still tuck one into a stocking or make round-robin gift exchange just in time.
And when it’s time to give yourself the gift of continuing education, look no further than PDH Academy. We offer the courses that you need to keep your licensing and professional association membership current through 2016. Our courses for architects make earning credits simpler.