School of Design Programs

DYPDC brings together the complementary strengths of Ajeenkya DY Patil University and that of legendary Dilip Chhabria. DYPDC offers highly experiential, hands-on programs with a unique learning experience to explore new ways of generating cutting-edge solutions using creativity and design principles.

The primary focus of DYPDC programs is to ensure that its students are industry-ready, able to think strategically and provide design solutions in a business context. Education at DYPDC is about learning how to think. Our faculty encourages students not become passive recipients of knowledge, but facilitate their path of discovery. With small class sizes, students are encouraged to think critically and express themselves clearly.

Design is everywhere, in everything. There is no one definitive definition that defines design. Design is not just about aesthetics. In fact, design is as fundamental as the air we breathe. Design is in the way your feet fit into your slippers, the way we uncork a wine bottle, the way we get the cap off a tube of toothpaste, the environments we work in, the way we order a pizza. We don’t notice these things because we assume they ought to be there and ought to work in a particular way.

Design is must be understood as a word that describes both a process and an outcome. It is the process of turning ideas into material things, and adding value to products or services by interfacing with functionality, technology and aesthetics.

Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computers said “In most people’s vocabularies, design means decoration. But to me, nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is the fundamental soul of a man-made creation”.

Chairman of The Idea Factory, Arnold S. Wasserman, perceives design as “the integration of art and technology for the creation of products, communications and environments that serve human needs. Design is creativity directed toward a purpose.”

Today’s consumer has shifted from conventional commodities to novel experiences that satisfy not only their basic needs but their sensorial, intellectual, emotional, and cultural needs. Creating novel ‘experiences’ for consumers necessitates focusing on, besides their basic needs, deeper aspects of their lives, their emotions, aspirations which is the prime objectives for a designer.

The UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) defines design as ‘Design is a structured creative process. Design is readily associated with industrial product design for manufactured products — specifically the ‘look’ of a product. However, the application of design is much broader, for example designing for function; for aesthetic appeal; for ease of manufacture; for sustainability; and designing for reliability or quality and business processes themselves.

Design is the number one determinant of why a product stands out – or does not. It is a process of creativity and innovation channelled towards the development of tradable products and services in a multi-disciplinary manner that involves the sciences of materials technology, engineering, ergonomics and manufacturing.

Design is not just as a finishing-off process, but is something that drives enterprise strategy. All competing products will have basically the same technology, price, performance, and features. What sets them apart is the design. Ten years ago, companies competed on price. Then it was quality. Today it is design.

In summary, Design as a career offers tremendous prospects. It is a career where you have fun everyday, earn better than others, and get a job more easily. In this career you will have the pleasure and satisfaction of creating something new and opportunity to become famous.

Dilip Chhabria – The Chief Mentor

Dilip Chhabria is a person who has always challenged conformism. He has been a trailblazer, and a pioneering personality in the field of automotive design. His body of work epitomizes the spirit of Innovation and an uncompromising attitude towards excellence. He is the chief mentor for DYPDC School of Design.

When Dilip Chhabria chose to go to the Art Center of Design, Pasadena, USA, he’d already ambled down the road less traveled, on a road unheard of. In times of engineers, doctors, lawyers and journalists, he chose to study Transportation Design.

His words – ‘I want to leave my mark as a man, to create what no one can, to rise up and prove that you can achieve all your dreams if you want them badly enough’ are an inspiration to all the present and prospective students of DYPDC.

In 1993, he set-up Dilip Chhabria Design with the sole aim of offering design and prototyping services to the Indian OEM industry as well as customized one-off solutions to the individual buyer. What had started as one man’s passion for cars has today evolved into an organization of over 400 designers, engineers and highly skilled craftsmen. In a span of 19 years since inception the company has designed and built over 700 concepts all of which also ply as regular road cars.

The company has successfully delivered international projects both for the automotive companies as well as the individual high net worth clients. The DC brand stands for consistently producing innovative, high quality products that generate a ‘WOW’ with the viewer.

The company has on the one hand as its valued customers auto majors like Renault, GM, BMW, Daimler, Ford, Toyota, Fiat, Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Auto, Ashok Leyland, as well as celebrities and high network individuals on the other.

His work has won him many accolades and numerous hearts. He is a role model to the younger generation aspiring to build a career in the automotive industry. Besides being an exceptional designer, Dilip Chhabria is also a keen artist. Having achieved the pinnacle of design namely automobile design, his passion has also spread to paintings and sculptures.