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Degree(s) Earned
B.S. ’08, M.Arch ’13


Current Employer: Dextrus

Hometown/Country: Mumbai, India

Current City/Country: Mumbai

/ Alumni / Master of Architecture,

Robin Chhabra

Founder and CEO

“My time at Taubman helped me think about being able to bring design across borders and professions and create something new.”

Why did you choose Taubman College?

Given my uncertainty about where I was headed with my life and given the University of Michigan’s prowess in all areas, it seemed like a great space to learn. Once I was at Michigan, I decided to take a few pre-studios and really enjoyed them. I realized I was waking up for the 8 a.m. studios and not waking up for my 8 a.m. economics class; that is when I knew I had found what I wanted to do.

Describe the work that you do.

I currently run Dextrus, which is a coworking space in Mumbai. We design our own spaces and run them as a business. The confluence of design and business, as well as bringing design thinking to the real estate industry, is the ethos of Dextrus. Knowing the synergies of both domains leads to a product worth creating, and the world also respects you for it. We run a 160-seater in Mumbai and are about to launch our second center (a 400-desk office space) also in Mumbai. We have plans to launch about three more over the next two years.

How did Taubman College prepare you for your career?

The design thinking Taubman helped instill in me was very valuable. I look at all things through that lens. The immense amount of hard work Taubman students put into their education is unparalleled, and it really prepared me for any challenge. It pushes students’ boundaries of capabilities, which allows us to thrive in professions not just dedicated to architecture and design.

What is an important lesson that has stayed with you from your time at Taubman College? 

The value of humility. Having patience and knowing that hard work and the quest for learning is never wasted.

What did you like best about Taubman College?

The beautiful studio. I enjoyed the many hours I spent there. Also, the professors were a very integral part of my learnings.