To mark Surface magazine’s 25th anniversary, Allenby Concept House imagined The Diner - a bold, immersive tribute to the iconic American eatery, reimagined for Milan Design Week.

David Rockwell led the creative vision, transforming an abandoned WWII-era tunnel beneath Stazione Centrale into a sleek, fully operational restaurant, cocktail lounge, and late-night event space—designed and built in just days. The Diner’s Hollywood-inspired visual identity infused both print and digital collateral with cinematic flair.

With a kitchen run by The Bulgari Hotel, the experience was sold out daily—serving lunch, dinner, and cocktails to over 40,000 guests throughout the week. After-hours, the space transformed into a nightlife magnet with swinging parties and design industry buzz.

The results were massive:

• Winner – Milan Design Award: Most Engaging Installation (out of 2,000+ entries)

• Winner – 2019 Frame Awards: Best Trade-Fair Stand

• Featured on CNN’s homepage as the best installation of Salone

• Coverage in CNN, Dezeen, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Designboom, Cool Hunting, and more

• 400M+ media impressions

• Explosive growth in Surface’s traffic, signups, and social engagement

A tunnel. A vision. A cultural moment.
We didn’t just build a pop-up—we built a phenomenon.

CNN, Dezeen, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Designboom, Cool Hunting