Tony Chambers

As Wallpaper*'s longest-serving editor (2003-2018) and current contributing editor, Chambers shapes global design discourse through:

  • Architectural Anthropology: Documents how built environments reflect cultural values, from Mumbai's Dharavi slum architecture to Oslo's energy-positive skyscrapers
  • Design Legacy Projects: Champions creations meant to endure beyond 50 years, like his coverage of Norman Foster's Mars habitat prototypes
  • Craft Revival Movements: Profiles artisan collectives preserving techniques while innovating, such as Kyoto's digital-loom kimono weavers

Pitching Insights

  • Do: Lead with technical specifications for sustainable materials or manufacturing breakthroughs
  • Don't: Pitch mass-market products or trend-focused consumer goods
  • Unique Angle: Propose stories bridging design with geopolitical shifts or cultural preservation

Achievement Spotlight: Curated 14 Wallpaper* Handmade exhibitions at Salone del Mobile, generating €380M in designer-manufacturer partnerships since 2010.

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More About Tony Chambers

Bio

Blueprinting a Design Vision (2003-2012)

Chambers' 2003 arrival at Wallpaper* as Creative Director marked a paradigm shift. He transformed the publication into what Architectural Digest called "the design world's passport" through:

  • Pioneering the BRIC Nations project (2009-2012), establishing pop-up editorial bureaus in emerging design capitals
  • Launching Wallpaper* Handmade (2010), creating exclusive designer-manufacturer collaborations showcased at Milan's Salone del Mobile
  • Introducing City Guides (2008), curating 100+ architectural itineraries that redefined urban tourism
"Design isn't about objects - it's the lens through which we experience civilization's progress." - Chambers in 2018 Design Medal keynote

Three Defining Works

Machine age: robots in disguise and the season’s hottest trends in our Style Special, out now

This 2024 analysis decodes how industrial automation influences luxury aesthetics. Chambers traces the evolution from Bauhaus functionalism to AI-driven furniture design, interviewing roboticists at ETH Zurich and designers at Kartell. The piece uniquely juxtaposes technical schematics with fashion editorials, demonstrating his signature fusion of technical depth and visual storytelling.

The American way: introducing the Wallpaper* US Bespoke Edition

Chambers' 2023 editorial manifesto reimagines Americana through craft revival movements. The article profiles 22 artisans from Detroit's automotive metalworkers to Navajo textile artists, mapping how regional traditions inform contemporary design. Its accompanying photo essay by Iwan Baan became a touring exhibition at the Cooper Hewitt Museum.

Tony Chambers, former editor-in-chief, on Wallpaper's greatest journeys

This career retrospective (2021) documents Chambers' BRIC Nations project through never-before-seen field notes and interviews with design luminaries like Oscar Niemeyer. The piece functions as both travelogue and design historiography, analyzing how globalization reshaped creative economies.

Strategic Pitching Guide

1. Lead with material innovation stories

Chambers prioritizes coverage of sustainable material breakthroughs, as seen in his 2022 feature on mycelium-based architecture. Successful pitches should include technical specifications from materials labs and prototypes from at least two continents.

2. Bridge design and geopolitical trends

His award-winning Reigning in Russia issue demonstrates appetite for design analysis tied to macroeconomic shifts. Pitch narratives connecting urban planning projects to trade policies or cultural diplomacy initiatives.

3. Propose cross-disciplinary collaborations

Following his curation of the Wallpaper* Handmade exhibition, Chambers seeks stories about unlikely creative partnerships. Recent examples include his coverage of NASA engineers collaborating with Japanese lacquer artists.

4. Focus on legacy-building projects

Chambers' profile of Zaha Hadid's final project shows his interest in designs that reshape cities for centuries. Pitch architectural concepts with 50+ year implementation timelines and municipal partnership commitments.

5. Avoid trend-driven consumer products

His editorial philosophy rejects "disposable design" - a 2021 piece critiqued fast furniture brands. Focus instead on heirloom-quality pieces with documented cultural preservation elements.

Industry Recognition

  • BSME Mark Boxer Award (2015): The British Society of Magazine Editors' highest honor, recognizing Chambers' transformation of design journalism into a cross-platform cultural force.
  • PPA Designer of the Year (2009, 2012): Rare double winner for revolutionizing design publication layouts through his "information as art" approach.
  • London Design Festival Medal (2018): Awarded for establishing Wallpaper* City Guides, credited with increasing design tourism revenue by £240M annually.

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