Brick Architect Holiday Gift Guide
Find the perfect gift for the LEGO Lover or Architecture Aficionado in your life, in our Holiday Shopping Guide. We’ve included special selections for any budget, and any skill level.
LEGO Architecture Sets
These are our favorite readily available architectural sets from the LEGO Architecture and Creator Expert themes. Below our top selections, you will see a list of great sets which are retiring soon, and may be available for a discount.
It’s hard to go wrong with the best designed set in the LEGO Architecture Skyline series. It features interesting parts, creative building techniques, and an outstanding finished product.
Brick Architect rated it “Must Have” (5/5 stars). Read the Review.
Budget Pick: This is a convincing skyline set at a more budget-friendly price. If they have ever been to London, or want to go in the future, this is a great gift.
Brick Architect rated it “Very Good” (3/5 stars). Read the Review.
While the build process is a bit repetitive at times, the finished model is one of the most striking in the current LEGO Architecture collection. (Political debates at your own discretion.)
4.6 Star rating at Amazon.
Last Chance? Consistently rated the best model in the Modular Building Series, the Parisian Restauraunt is still available while newer sets in the series have retired. It won’t last forever, so be sure to consider this gift while it’s still available.
This is set designer Jamie Berard’s favorite set in the series. Read our interview!
Something more contemporary? The most recent addition to the Modular Buidling Series has an Art Deco style, bringing the series unambiguously into the 20th century for the first time.
Brick Architect rated it “Highly Recommended” (4/5 stars). Read the Review.
Feeling Generous? By far the largest set in the Modular Building series, last year’s set broke new groudn with a wider base and a whopping 4002 pieces.
Our review is coming soon, but so far it sounds like a fantastic building experience.
Retiring Soon:
- #21035 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum® – Buy at Amazon, Buy at LEGO.com.
- #21033 Chicago Skyline – Buy at Amazon.
- #21036 Arc de Triomphe – Read the Brick Architect Review, Buy at Amazon, Buy at LEGO.com.
- #21019 The Eiffel Tower – Buy at Amazon, Buy at LEGO.com.
- #21029 Buckingham Palace – Read the Brick Architect Review, Buy at Amazon, Buy at LEGO.com.
- #21032 Sydney – Buy at Amazon, Buy at LEGO.com.
- #10214 Tower Bridge – Buy at Amazon, Buy at LEGO.com.
- #10253 Big Ben – Buy at Amazon, Buy at LEGO.com.
- #10251 Brick Bank – Buy at Amazon.
- #10246 Detective’s Office – Buy at Amazon.
- #21310 Old Fishing Store – Buy at Amazon.
- #75827 Firehouse Headquarters (Ghostbusters) – Buy at Amazon, Buy at LEGO.com.
Other great LEGO Sets
There are some fantastic new LEGO sets outside of the LEGO Architecture theme. Here are a few which you shouldn’t miss!
For Everyone: This set has a very widespread appeal, making it perfect for teens or adults who are new to LEGO, or haven’t built in a while. It’s a lot of fun to recreate yourself, friends, family and celebrities using the diverse selection of parts included in the set. At 708 pieces, it’s the best value of any current LEGO set.
Brick Architect rated it “Must Have” (5/5 stars). Read the Review.
Inspire Creativity: This is an incredibly imaginative set that you can’t put down. In addition to the two stories included in the set, you will be inspired to build your own inserts too.
Brick Architect review coming soon… (It’s a Must Have set; 5/5 stars!).
Books
If you want a unique gift for someone who already has a large LEGO collection, consider the following books. Books are one of my favorite ways to find inspiration when building LEGO Architecture creations.
Learn 7 styles of architecture using LEGO. The book includes a brief history of each style, photos of amazing buildings to use for inspiration, and instructions to get started. Written by Brick Architect founder Tom Alphin.
4.7 Stars at Amazon, and available in 10 languages.
This new book is packed with great architectural details for LEGO builders to incorporate into their creations. Best for experienced LEGO builders with a large collection of bricks.
Brick Architect rated it “Highly Recommended” (4/5 stars). Read the Review.
This beautiful new book shows you how Jeff Friesen creates intricate Microscale cities using specialty LEGO parts in unexpected ways. Instructions are provided for a few buildings from within each scene.
Brick Architect review coming soon. (Hint: We love it.)
Explore world architecture through 350 different buildings across a wide range of styles. This elegant book would make a great gift for someone who wants to learn more about architecture.
5 Star rating at Amazon.
Architecture Geeks: Join author Martin Filler in these collections of long essays exploring the life and legacy of prominent architects. These are not picture books, and are aimed at adult readers who are already familiar with a wide range of architectural styles and prominent architects.
These were invaluable resources while writing The LEGO Architect.
Get Organized! My LEGO Storage Guide offers in-depth suggestions to organize, sort, and store a LEGO collection of any size. Be sure to take a look, as there are some great storage rpducts for the LEGO Lover on your shopping list.
See how a well organized LEGO collection can unlock creativity!
Sketching Supplies
There’s nothing quite like a quality notebook and a sturdy pencil to get your ideas out. Consider these two quality products for the creatives in your life.
A high quality notebook like these from Leuchtturm make sketching and note-taking more satisfying. This A5 sized notebook is perfect for general puposes, but the smaller A6 notebook is better for travel. (Dot Grid is my favorite pattern for Architecture & Design. Choose from 21 vibrant colors!
4.5 Stars at Amazon.
This is the best mechanical pencil for architectural drawings and note-taking. It’s a fantastic balance of high quality feel and a reasonable price.
4.4 Stars at Amazon.