Sixteen years. That’s how long this list has been hanging around – part tradition, part self-inflicted responsibility. Every year I tell myself it’s time to retire it, and every year I end up right back here, sorting through design gadgets, pencils, and overpriced lamps. Apparently, architects are still impossible to shop for, which means the world still needs this list. The Life of an Architect Holiday Gift Guide turns sixteen this year, and while the process hasn’t gotten easier, it has gotten oddly specific. What started as my personal wish list has become a curated mix of things Andrew and I find useful, beautiful, or just clever enough to make the cut. Whether you’re an architect, live with one, or simply need a reminder that our taste in “fun” leans toward the practical, you’ve come to the right place. Welcome to Episode 189: Holiday Gift Guide for Architects.
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Today we are talking holiday gifts, and if you could see me right now, I am rubbing my temples already. This year, we ditched the categories. After so many years, that part started to feel like homework, and no one wants to be graded during the holidays. Instead, Andrew and I each picked six things – no rules, no themes – just items we already own and stand behind, or things we hope someone out there is generous enough to send your way. Think of it as equal parts endorsement and wish list.
We didn’t share our choices ahead of time, so this is a live reveal – twelve architect-approved ideas, along with the possibility of a questionable recommendation. Andrew’s going first again this year, which might sound like an honor, but around here it’s more of a punishment.
Gift – Round 1 jump to 2:48
Travelpro Crew Classic Softside Carry on Luggage
Andrew’s Selection -$255
I have been traveling more lately, and my old carry-on finally needs to be replaced. My current/old carry-on only has two sinner wheels and I need to not travel like that any longer. The piece I have elected here, Travelpro Classic soft-sided 21 inch carry-on, checks the boxes I actually care about. It weighs seven pounds, has four dual spinner wheels, comes in a few basic colors, and provides forty seven liters of space. The handle, exterior pockets, double zippers, expansion option, and interior compression straps all make it straightforward and practical like most luggage. The fabric seems to be durable, and because it is soft sided, it hides scuffs better, which for me is an important element. I know hard-sided seem to be the fashion, but they tend to show scuffs to easily and that gets me irritated. Overall, this would simply be an upgrade from what I am using now.
They also make a more expensive version, the Platinum Elite, which is basically the same suitcase with a few additions and upgrades. It has an extra exterior pocket, upgraded materials with leather accents, many more color choices, and a built-in spot for a power bank with a charging cord access point. The interior compression setup is a bit better, and it includes a small toiletry bag. The size and layout are nearly identical. When the time comes, if I feel like splurging, I will get this one instead.
Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
Bob’s Selection -$95
It has taken me a few years to come around on having an immersion circulator as part of my culinary arsenal. In the past, and I’m not entirely convinced that this isn’t still the case, but am of the opinion that most people use it for cooking mostly steak, and I could pick a steak that was prepared via sous vide out of a lineup of 25 steaks … I don’t care for the texture. However, I am interested in how I can improve the flavor profiles of chicken and vegetables. I might just try a few experiments with steak just to broaden my horizons a bit.
When I went looking, I wanted one that had the correct functionality as well as the right price tag. Considering that I don’t sous vide stuff all the time, I couldn’t justify the ones that are more than 2x what the one I am showing here. This one has WiFi control, 1000w of power (typical range is 1000 , 1100, and 1200) but the only reason to go for a higher wattage is the time it takes to bring your water up to temperature. 1000 watt can handle a fairly good sized tub of water without trouble, but you can always start with warm water if you are in a rush. You have to get a sinker weight but I got you covered: https://amzn.to/47rY0tw Obviously it’s food grade and stainless steel so it won’t rust, which is important because it’s job is to sit in water for hours and hours.
Finally, and this could be a little gratuitous but … you might want a specially made tub to have everything working smoothly together. The one I would advise is a 12 Quart Container, but with a special lid that is made for this process and has a hole cut into it – https://amzn.to/4qLCRSA This is good for keeping your water from evaporating, or from your cat from getting into your business.
Gift – Round 2 jump to 10:44
Andrew’s Selection -$60-65
If you have listened to the podcast for a while, you already know that I have shifted back to physical notebooks for most of my sketching and note-taking. That is where this item comes in handy. The Lochby Field Folio in the A5 size is an organizational cover/case for your analog tools. It is a weatherproof canvas zippered cover that holds up three A5 notebooks comfortably, or more if you do not mind packing it tighter. There is an elastic band system with ribbon markers help keep your place, and the folio includes pen slots, pockets, and small pouches for other items. It comes in three color combinations, and the black version is the one I would choose. It has a built-in spine handle (like an old car CD case if you know those) and it also lays flat so you can write or draw while the notebooks stay in the cover. It even can fit an iPad Mini, if that is the size you use. My guess is it could also hold a Kindle or other digital reading device.
Lochby offers this folio in several sizes, from A6 to B5, and they make other notebook covers and field-note gear as well. This folio is a simple yet elegant way to carry your notebooks and associated items without them bending or getting damaged by just throwing them into your bag or backpack. I would certainly carry it on its own when I don’t need anything else. It keeps everything together, protected, and easy to use, which is exactly what I want for the analog system I am now utilizing.
Anglepoise Original 1227 Desk Lamp
Bob’s Selection -$320
I am well aware that I seem to put some sort of desk lamp on every gift guide … and I have made my peace with it. For this year’s selection, I went with a British classic. When automotive engineer, George Carwardine chanced upon a formula for a new kind of spring, he had created the blueprint for a groundbreaking articulated task lamp that could combine ultimate flexibility with perfect stability. Two years later the Original 1227™ was born. This was 1935. Today, this highly adaptable and engagingly anthropomorphic light, is part of an exemplary collection designed for different locations, from table and wall to ceiling and floor. The original color is jet black but it also comes in black, chrome, grey, and white.
I will also add that a task light such as this one is a much sexier way to light a room rather than “welcome to prison” overhead lighting.
Gift – Round 3 jump to 24:18
Anker 621 Magnetic 5,000mAh Wireless Power Bank
Andrew’s Selection -$0
Now, to balance out the analog notebook gear from the last entry, this one leans fully digital. I have started using magnetic charging more recently, and while that probably means I am late to the party, I have genuinely come to appreciate how easy it is. I have them in most places now that I charge my phone. The Anker 5000 milliamp magnetic Power Bank attaches directly to the back of your phone and gives you extra power when you need it, which for most of us is fairly often. It is about 0.4 inches thick and roughly the footprint of a credit card, just thicker, so you can keep it in a pocket, a bag, or even inside the notebook folio I mentioned earlier. It comes in black, white, and a few pastel colors and costs around thirty dollars.
Anker is a reliable brand for chargers and power accessories, and this is the kind of practical gift anyone can use. It does not add much bulk to your phone, it is easy to carry, and it solves a problem everyone runs into eventually. For something small, simple, and useful, this is an easy choice. Maybe this one is a stocking stuffer, but I think anyone can appreciate this easy to use, small power bank.
Vinglace Wine Bottle Insulator
Bob’s Selection -$90
Let me paint you a picture … everyone is in a good mood, you are surrounded by your friends and you have all come together to celebrate some momentous occasion (or a Tuesday). You pop open a bottle of bubbly, or wine, and 10 minutes later, you are pouring warm trash into people’s glasses, folks are making up excuses to leave, the cops are pulling up to the front door, and your house is now on fire. Sounds bad but this doesn’t have to happen to you.
This wine bottle insulator is just want you think it would be, you take a chilled bottle of wine, open it up and it maintains that just so perfect temperature. Maybe you’re a faster drinker than me and this isn’t a concern for you … but don’t be that person. This is a solidly built wine insulator and not a piece of trash. It will accommodate champagne bottles (because I am fancy that way and I drink champagne from time to time) but it will also accommodate the smaller 750ml bottles that are typical with bottles of red and white wine.
It also comes in a billion color, so choose wisely.
Gift – Round 4 jump to 32:45
Andrew’s Selection -$220-$400
This item is something I actually already own, and since I have two of them, I can vouch for their reliability and overall ease of use. The Creality Ender 3 series is a solid entry-level 3D filament printer for anyone wanting to get into 3D printing without spending a fortune. Prices generally range from about two hundred to four hundred dollars depending on the version. I would skip the basic, lowest Ender 3 V3 model and start with the Ender3 V3 SE ($220), Ender3 V3 KE ($260), or the Ender3 V3 Plus ($398). I use the Plus models in both V2 and V3 versions because I think the larger build plate is worth the extra money. Most Ender 3 printers give you roughly a ten by ten or eleven by eleven print area, while the Plus increases that to around eleven by eleven by thirteen. While you won’t be printing a new iron man suit with it, you can print several pieces and attach them together to get a larger total build.
They take standard filaments, which usually cost $15 to $25 per roll, and the printers are simple to maintain. Replacing a nozzle or clearing a clog is straightforward, and there are not many components that routinely fail. These printers are widely used in my department at school. The professor who does the majority of 3D printing in our studios owns fifteen or twenty of them, which says something about their reliability. Some people use the larger Ender 5 models, but they tend to be more finicky, and the size difference between the Ender 5 and the Ender 3 Plus is not significant enough for me to trade reliability for a small bump in print area and cost. For the price, the Ender 3 line is an easy way to get into 3D printing for school projects, office use, or personal work.
WHOOP Peak 5.0 Activity Tracker
Bob’s Selection -$16/month
I am a slave to data. I’m not proud of it but nevertheless, here we are. I wore a Fitbit Charge 6 for years – which for the record, I still love and would recommend for the information, but the graphics are only a 6/10. I then moved on to a Garmin Forerunner 965 – which was an amazing piece of equipment but I felt like the sleep score was trash. I even went through the process of experimenting by wearing both the Fitbit AND the Garmin 965 at the same time to compare the data … Garmin wins in all categories except sleep (which might actually be the most important category for me).
Enter the WHOOP strap – which is a screenless recovery-focused tracker whose strength is in-depth sleep, recovery, and strain analysis. But that’s not all as it monitors other important metrics, including heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, menstrual cycle (not applicable to me for those of you wondering), VO2 max, and Pace of Aging*–providing 24/7 insights to optimize fitness, recovery, and overall health. Get insights and guidance on how your daily habits impact your long-term health with Healthspan—a powerful new way to quantify your physiological age and slow your Pace of Aging.
Here’s the catch – you pay for the membership but you get the device for free so you are signing up to use this device. As of this moment, and this is what I plan to gift to myself this year, a 2 year membership will cost you $16/month. For me, totally worth it … besides, look at those sweet graphics above that show you all your information (and I only grabbed 4 areas to illustrate, but there are a lot more!)
Gift – Round 5 jump to 43:47
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2-14.4″ Touchscreen
Andrew’s Selection -$3500
I am long overdue for a new laptop and after spending time researching options, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is the one that makes the most sense for what I need. It is a full laptop with a proper keyboard, but the screen functions as a tablet that folds down flat so you can draw or write on it with the Surface pen. That combination is what makes it appealing to me as my next purchse. I still use my iPad, but there are several software tools I need for work that do not run well on an iPad or are not even capable on a tablet. So having something with the versatility of a tablet and the power of a real laptop hits the right spot.
This model has 32 gigs of RAM, a one terabyte hard drive, and a dedicated NVIDIA graphics card, which helps with BIM work (Revit), Adobe programs, and any other 3D or image-heavy tasks. They make other versions with alternate specs, and the 16GB RAM version is more available. It is expensive for a laptop, I agree for sure, but the flexibility seems hard to match. I had a similar hybrid device back around 2010 and liked the concept, but the pen technology was not great at the time. Today, it seems far better. I am looking at the 2024 version because the 2025 Snapdragon-based models have some early software issues, but I expect those to get resolved soon. Even with the price, this seems like the right replacement for my eight or nine year old laptop.
Retractable Car Charger
Bob’s Selection -$16 for 32″ cable, $40 for the 48″ cable
Is this a good gift – absolutely. Is it an exciting gift? No … this should be a stocking stuffer. The reason I put this item on this year’s list is that on more than one occasion, I found myself driving a car full of people to an event, and someone say “my phone is about to die …”
Cue eyeroll.
I have had a battery case on my phone for years, and in these moments, I have to take it off and give it to someone else who apparently doesn’t understand how charging their phone works so it isn’t always about to die when they need it. This particular charger has retractable cables with a 15 amp output. It plugs into your 12v power charger port (aka cigarette lighter port – not a usb port), and is compatible for iPhone models 12 through 17.
Gift – Round 6 jump to 50:10
Pelikan M809 Black Matte Special Edition Fountain Pen
Andrew’s Selection -$960
We have done versions of items like this on the podcast before, where we talk about the most extravagant or ridiculous gifts, and this one fits squarely in that category. The Pelikan Sovereign M809 Matte Black Special Edition Fountain Pen is a completely unreasonable wish list item, but also the kind of thing that makes me say, I really wish I could own that. If you know anything about my recent analog resurgence accompanied by an increased interest in fountain pens, then this one makes perfect sense. I know it is definitely not sensible. This is a fully matte black pen, with a textured barrel and a high-polish cap, a gold nib finished in matte black so the entire pen has a single, consistent look. It comes in the standard nib options, and as far as craftsmanship goes, it is exactly what you expect from Pelikan. Pelikan is a German pen brand that is similar to Monte Blanc that most people may have heard of.
The ridiculous problem with this item is the price. A thousand dollars for a pen is hard to justify for almost anyone. Even though I have found it online for $800, it’s still absurd. I first saw this pen at a recent fountain pen event where they previewed it as a limited edition releasing in November, and I immediately thought I had to have it… then when I saw the price, it was “I will never have it”. So this pen lives firmly in the category of unrealistic, dream-level gifts. If someone out there wants to surprise me with one, I will gladly send you my mailing address, but otherwise this sits on the list as the “ridiculous but amazing” gift option for a truly obsessed architect.
Karst Goods Notebook
Bob’s Selection -$30 to $45 depending on size
I can’t remember how these stone paper notebooks caught my eye – but they did and it was enough to get me to reach out to them through social media to ask some questions. The pages made from calcium carbonate (which is natural and abundant) and they get all of their materials from recycling. They basically take dust and make “paper” by adding resin, heat and pressure. This tree-free A5 Hardcover Notebook is made from high-quality, sustainable, and recyclable stone paper. Thoughtfully designed with an expandable back pocket for extra storage, a divider ribbon that doubles as a bookmark for easy reference, and lay-flat binding for comfortable writing. An ideal choice for anyone looking for a premium notebook that stands out in both form and function.
If you are an architect, you know that you keep these sorts of notebooks for the entirety of your life. If you are looking to possibly get something like this for an architect you are about, read the end of that last sentence again.
Architecture Books
Andrew’s Architecture Books
This year again I have an updated list of Architecture books from the Year of 2025. Most of these are books that I already own and a few that I want to own. All of the books in the link were published in the last year from late 2024 to now, late 2025. I try to keep a running list of books by years to make it easy to find newer stuff and personally for me to keep track of it all. I look at (an often buy) a lot of books each year and this method helps me track them and also makes it easy for me to share them with others. The list is a wide array of monographs, technical books, and theory about architecture and the built world. I find that now I am more interested in not only the making of buildings, but also the ideas behind them or the conditions that generated them.
Constructed Geographies: Paulo Mendes da Rocha
This book is a collected set of works about the great South American architect Paulo Mendes Da Rocha. He was awarded the Pritzker Prize for Architecture in 2006. He had a long and productive career in South America. Many of my academic colleagues from South America hold him in very high regard and speak of him in ways that American architects speak about our “greats” from the modern era. This book is the largest collection of his work that I am aware of. While it was officially released in December if 2024, its still on my 2025 list.
The Architecture of Will Bruder
This book is not yet released, but I put it here because when I originally found it, it was slated for a 2025 release. Will Bruder is a well established force in the architecture of the southwest united states. His work in Arizona is foundational to that architectural identity and the notion of “desert architecture.” He has completed work all over the country and has a large portfolio of work. I am looking forward to this book and to the ability to hopefully see some of his work in person in the the near future. So while I cannot say I own this one, it is on order and with any luck, this will be a great book.
Bob’s Architecture Books
Andrew and I have logged an embarrassing number of hours talking about architecture books, which is why we keep a standing list instead of rehashing the same opinions every December. That list only grows when something earns it. My shelves are basically at capacity, and a lot of what passes for “new” these days feels like recycled coffee-table material wearing a fresh jacket. I still prefer books that get inside the work – the thinking, the drawings, the decisions that make a project worth studying. That is the stuff I reach for.
This year, instead of adding another twenty titles and pretending anyone needs that much homework, I pulled together a short group of books that actually rose above the noise. These four are thoughtful, well made, and worth the space they take up. Younger architects will get a boost, more seasoned ones will appreciate the calibration, and everyone gets something better than another glossy stack of nothing.
Architectural Digest at 100: A Century of Style
Why Bob thinks you should get this book: Architectural Digest has been peeking into remarkable rooms for a century, and this collection pulls together some of the strongest moments from that long snooping career. The range is what makes it worthwhile. The Obamas, David Bowie, Truman Capote, Hockney, Kors, Vreeland – all of them at home, all of them revealing more than any interview ever does. Layer in the work of Gehry, Mahdavi, Niemeyer, Wright, and a small army of design heavyweights, and you start to get a portrait of taste across eras rather than a single style.
The photography alone earns the shelf space. Cunningham, Horst, Halard, Shulman – the people who helped define how we see architecture and interiors. This is a generous, visually rich time machine that scratches both the design itch and the voyeuristic one. It makes a strong gift for anyone who enjoys great rooms, great characters, and a little unapologetic glamour.
Soft Minimal: Norm Architects A Sensory Approach to Architecture and Design
Why Bob thinks you should get this book: Soft Minimal is Norm Architects doing what they do best: stripping things back until only the good parts remain. Their work has that quiet, calibrated simplicity that looks effortless until you realize how much discipline it actually takes. The projects in this book drift between Scandinavia, Italy, and Japan, but the through-line is the same – calm spaces built from honest materials and shaped for how people actually live. The tone is restrained, the photography is soothing, and the whole thing feels like a masterclass in making minimalism feel human instead of cold. It is a smart pick for anyone who appreciates order without sterility and wants a little more calm on their shelf.
Concrete Jungle: Tropical Architecture and its Surprising Origins
Why Bob thinks you should get this book: Concrete Jungle is one of those books that reminds you how good architecture can look when it stops trying so hard. The projects lean into exposed concrete, tropical climate, and real environmental performance instead of surface-level aesthetics. The mix of mass and vegetation feels intentional rather than trendy, and the photography does a nice job showing how the buildings actually live in their settings. It is a thoughtful, quietly dramatic collection and a strong addition to any architect’s shelf, especially for someone who likes their buildings with a little grit and a lot of green.
Architecture: The Definitive Visual Guide (DK Definitive Cultural Histories)
Why Bob thinks you should get this book: This one is a gift to younger architects who did not get the architectural history education they deserved, and a welcome refresher for the rest of us who occasionally pretend we remember more than we do. It moves through six millennia of building culture without feeling like a textbook, laying out the big shifts in materials, technology, and social priorities that got us from mud bricks to whatever we are calling parametric these days.
The real value is in the clarity. Important periods and styles are explained through solid examples instead of academic fog, and the mix of photography and clean CGI makes the ideas easier to absorb than most survey books. It is the kind of thing you keep nearby, not because you plan to read it straight through, but because it answers the questions you should already know the answers to. Younger architects will get a proper grounding, and seasoned ones will get to quietly patch some gaps.
Ep 189: Holiday Gift Guide for Architects
Ho-Ho-Ho and we are done! If you somehow make it through these picks without finding a single thing worth wrapping, the archives are waiting below. Years of gift guides, all vetted, all field tested, and none of them built from the same recycled lists that show up everywhere else. There is plenty in the mix that an actual architect would want, which feels like a small holiday miracle on its own.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
Cheers and Happy Holidays!
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