It is no secret that architecture is an expensive profession. As architecture students, it’s easy to get lost in the world of stationary, and not really know what you really need and most importantly, don’t need. Which is why we have compiled a list of stationary that you will truly NEED for the five years of your architecture degree that won’t actually burn a hole in your pockets.
Stationary Essentials for an Architecture Student:
Having a good set of pencils in hand is very important, because you are constantly looking for inspiration to sketch, or submitting your drafted BCM sheets. The Steadtler set of 6 pencils are handy to have in your bag everywhere you go, because lineweights matter, and you need your pencils.
2. Micron Fine-liners Set of 6
Drafting requires fine-liners of good quality that basically won’t bleed into your sheets, making you redo it in the middle of the night. Micron fineliners are a good quality and affordable option for fineliners.
Your set square is a need for drafting your Architectural Graphics sheets, Building Construction sheets and manual drafting of plans. The 12 inch Simrah set square gives you good coverage on paper making it easier for you to draft.
TScale will be the first thing on your to-buy list as soon as you enter your first semester. Keep it carefully, and it will last you throughout your 5 years of your degree.
It’s often best to have a one metre scale to pair with your tscale as it will help you reach all parts of your sheet, or help you draft when you don’t really want to use your tscale.
You don’t want your lines going off, so it is always a good practice to stick your A2 or A1 sheets in place in your drafting boards or tables before proceeding. Scotch tape is preferred over regular ones as they don’t tear your sheets.
Anywhere you go, be it site visits or a trip, it’s always good to carry around a handy 5m measuring tape to understand dimensions whenever you need them. Avoid the bulky ones and choose ones that are sturdy but lighter to make it easy for you to take to go.
Chart holders are the safe haven for your sheets against weather. They keep the sheets clean and unfolded, which becomes really important during your presentation. Buy a chart holder that expands to allow for more sheets and more sizes of sheets.
Whether you want to do some travel sketches or need them for your classes, it is always important to have a good few sketchbooks in hand. Have an A5 sketch book to take notes and sketch on the go.
A3 sketchbooks are best to use for assignments. Remember not to skimp on the GSM of your sheets as the better quality ones do make your assignments look much more presentable.
None of us are perfect, especially when drafting. Mistakes happen, but we don’t want to keep redoing sheets because of them. Keep a good set of white pens in hand, they will last you throughout your five years.
You will always need tracing paper, whether it is for your conceptual ideation, or your scheme drawings, experimenting different ideas and iterations are best done by layering tracing paper and redrawing. They are especially nice to present as your progress sheets during your final submission. You can never end up having enough tracing paper, a good set of tracing sheets will certainly be a good investment.
You will need a good cutter for both your models and for sharpening your pencils. Prefer a larger cutter so that it can be used for multiple purposes.
Architecture as a profession, is an expensive one. But by understanding the needs before investing on products that will most probably collect dust in your room is a good way to save some money.
