DIFFA Dining by Design – 2019 Edition

Black Artists and Designers Guild. All Table Photos by Alan Berry

DIFFA, Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS, celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2019. The storied organization’s signature fundraising event, DINING BY DESIGN (DBD), took place last week at Pier 92 in New York City.

This year DINING BY DESIGN celebrated its 22nd edition, and its 10th year of co-location with the Architectural Digest Design Show.

The event brought together over 40,000 guests to experience a collection of eclectic, jaw-dropping dining installations created by more than 30 designers, architects, manufacturers and brands. Held annually in March, DINING BY DESIGN raises funds for HIV/AIDS-related communities, combining a worthy cause and exceptional design into a 5-day event full of optimism, wonder, and connection.

“Participants will transform a raw space into an immersive exhibit representing a unique concept and brands from across the industry will feature their latest products and designs in their installations for thousands of event-goers to view and dine in,” noted the event press announcement. After the event, we spoke with Dawn Roberson, Executive Director of DIFFA, about this year’s show, what attendees experienced, and the unique position DIFFA holds in the HIV/AIDS prevention and cure-seeking community.

“One thing I think is really important to note is that we don’t receive any money from government entities,” said Ms. Roberson. “All of the funding we receive for grants – we raise ourselves, so we don’t have the restrictions that government money often comes with. Because of that, we’re able to grant funding to many different organizations we find in need – of course, education and prevention, but also smaller groups with very specific needs, such as seniors living with HIV, and mothers and children struggling with effects of the disease. We’re able to provide funds on a different level, and that sets us apart.”

DINING BY DESIGN 2019 opened its doors to the public from Thursday to Sunday afternoon, and attendees can access both DBD and the AD Show with a single ticket purchase. In addition to purchasing a ticket to wander through the installations, design industry folks also have the opportunity to attend two celebrations that bookend the show.

DINING BY DESIGN kicked off Thursday with a Cocktails by design event, and then concluded with the DINING BY DESIGN Gala dinner on Monday, March 25, an exclusive chance for attendees to wander through each dining installation, and then dine at one of the tables for a delicious meal and inspiring conversation with friends.

The 2019 edition’s designers include: Black Designs + Artists Guild, Sheila Bridges, Mikel Welch, Stacy Garcia, Damour Drake, Kingston Design Connection, Joshua David Home, Inc. Architecture, Lucinda Loya. Patrick Mele for Benjamin Moore, Roric Tobin for Modern Luxury and David Scott Interiors for Roche Bobois, and Stonehill Taylor for Ultrafabrics.

The entryway to this year’s DINING BY DESIGN featured an auction set within an artist-curated corridor leading you to the table designs.

While DIFFA provides a few guidelines around messaging to the student design teams that participate each year, the rest of the design teams have complete freedom outside of physical space parameters and rules around adhering to building code.

“We have all kinds of professionals involved in designing the tables – designers, interior architects, architects, product manufacturers, construction, developers – and we don’t provide any guidelines to the teams in terms of what they can and can’t do, or have to include, or a theme they should design around,” said Ms. Roberson. “It’s really about giving them the freedom to design.”

DINING BY DESIGN origins are in Kansas City, where the Kansas City chapter of DIFFA started the fundraising event 22 years ago as a simple table-top design. DIFFA Kansas Chapter has since closed, but DINING BY DESIGN continued to evolve over the years into the immersive experience it is today in New York City.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to attend DINING BY DESIGN, mark your calendar for 2020 – it’s an inspiring event worthy of attention and in support of a great cause.

Damour Drake presents Kingston Design Photo: Alan Berry

(See our photo gallery below)