^{_{Clockwise from left: Maxim Stripe boxes by Hay, from $45 at hay.com; Interconnect candle holder by Menu, $440, at dwr.com; Rivet side table by Frama, $1,300, at aavvgg.com; Verso table vase by Ferm Living, $180 at ssense.com; Flower Bouquet (in vase) by Studio Roof, $20 at 313designmarket.com; Bernadotte French press by Georg Jensen, $130 USD at georgjensen.com; Groove trivet by Muuto, $85 at torpinc.com; Strata planter by Areaware, $100 at themodernshop.com.}}

As the 2022 holiday season kicks off, we’re here to help you find great gifts for the architects and designers in your life. Yes, this can be a notoriously tough group to shop for. But at a time of year that produces no shortage of unnecessary waste, perhaps the design crowd’s high standards make sense. After all, is it really too much to ask a present to balance usefulness, longevity and delight?

Granted, when it comes to selecting holiday 2022 gifts for architects or designers, it is also important to factor in personal taste. Which is why, for this year, AZURE has structured our gift guide to appeal to three of the design world’s defining identities: clean line–loving modernists, funky postmodernists and avant-garde futurists.

A few of our suggestions are definitely splurges, but at least a couple may be within the budget of your annual staff secret Santa gift exchange. Most importantly, all of our holiday 2022 gift ideas meet the demanding criteria of picky — nay, discerning — architects and designers.

Oh, and another great gift idea? A subscription to AZURE.

Gifts for…

This reissue of Richard Sapper’s 1972 masterpiece commemorates the lamp’s 50th anniversary with a bright red hue that was a favourite of the Italian designer.

_{From $990 artemide.com}

In the era of CAD, drawing by hand is the ultimate art form. Made primarily from recycled plastic, Thomas Bentzen’s organizer provides space for a full set of drafting tools.

_{$80 at grshop.com, finnishdesignshop.com, muuto.com}

A representation of a traditional housing typology, this black-stained mahogany maquette brings domestic warmth to any bookshelf.

_{$190 ethnicraft.com}

Featuring a boxy frame intersected by a slanted plane, this powder-coated aluminum storage solution is the perfect way to show off Bauhaus-themed coffee table books.

_{$340 bludot.com}

Pairing a tiered marble base with a steel stem and a circular tabletop, this sturdy Danish design offers a distinguished spot for resting well-mixed nightcaps.

_{$670 at ssense.com, aytmdesign.com}

The Eames Office teamed up with a toy boutique to develop a playful riff on the designers’ style. Time to call up the bridge crew (i.e. your civil engineer pals).

_{$20 USD eamesoffice.com, artofplay.com}

Gifts for…

Anyone who packs their home full of patterns will be overjoyed to work some graphics into their morning routine, too. (Just remind them to change before Zoom calls.)

_{$140 USD dusendusen.com}

Part ashtray, part lamp: Castor Design’s portable companion boasts 15 hours of battery life, a natural bridle leather handle and a bonus storage compartment.

_{$275 houseplant.com}

Brooklyn designer Sophie Collé’s swirly MDF furniture piece is as much a pedestal as it is a sculpture. Choose from two sizes and a variety of punchy hues.

_{From $255 at funsty.ca, areaware.com}

Swiss design studio BIG-GAME endorses sweet indulgences with this porcelain dessert podium, available with a red or grey base. A bamboo handle acts as the proverbial cherry on top.

_{$135 at bergodesigns.ca, alessi.com}

One of our favourite retail interiors of 2022 was funky fitness brand Bala’s NYC pop-up by Ringo Studio, which took some of its inspiration from the look of these popular wrist weights.

_{$65 at indigo.ca, shopbala.com}

The latest addition to the Bouroullecs’ D.coupage collection of ceramic vases, this vessel integrates a bungee cord–like clay rod to support delicate bouquets.

_{$480 vitra.com}

Gifts for…

Inspired by Copenhagen’s drain pipes, Simon Legald’s mirror-polished stainless-steel vessel adopts a charmingly tubular form.

_{$205 grshop.com, themodernshop.com, normann-copenhagen.com}

A collaboration with Bang & Olufsen, this statement piece reimagines a Bluetooth speaker as an aluminum handbag with lambskin lining.

_{Price upon Request balenciaga.com}

(And for those seeking a slightly more attainable option, the rugged Beosound Explore makes a worthy alternative.)

_{$300 bang-olufsen.com}

These days, no hip restaurant is complete without a portable lamp on every table. This aluminum centrepiece promises to elevate at-home dinners, too.

_{$250 menuspace.com}

Outdoors brand Snow Peak recently enlisted Kengo Kuma to design a spa for its Japanese headquarters. This campfire grill matches the space’s refined beauty.

_{$440 at ssense.com, snowpeak.com}

It’s been 20 years since Tom Dixon started up his eponymous brand — and his work feels just as cutting-edge as ever.

_{$295 for four at ssense.com, tomdixon.net}

While someone certainly could use this rugged toolbox to organize actual tools, it’s also a great solution for sorting out charging cables.

_{$140 at oldfaithfulshop.com, aavvgg.com (in black); toyosteel.jp}