Drawing inspiration from nature, Argüden used biomimicry in his work.
Senior exterior designer at Ford Motor Company Ege Argüden was passionate about both nature and vehicles from an early age and views nature as an important source of inspiration: “I've been learning about nature and wildlife since childhood. One of my school projects, Mercedes Aerolite, was inspired by the aerodynamic shape and the lightweight pneumatic bone structure of an eagle. Nature is not my only source of inspiration however, anything that catches my interest can inspire a new design: a movie, a book, a painting, a plane, a boat, or a car.”
When he was tasked with the design of the S650 Mustang, Argüden took his inspiration from leopards: “When we started the design process, I had a sculpture of a leopard, with all the muscle structure exposed and sculpted accurately. I started sketching the intricacies of these muscle structures as well as the proportion and powerful stance of the large cat. As I got more familiar with these shapes, I applied this to the design of the car.”
Argüden remembers RC as a place that nurtured his love of nature: “Robert College's green campus is like a protected wildlife refuge in the middle of the dense city. I feel very lucky to have studied in one of the most beautiful campuses in the world.” Interestingly, Argüden is taking a break from Ford and moving back to Turkey to focus on yachts, a dream of his since childhood: “Having spent many years sailing and yachting, I have a strong connection to the sea.”
Published January 2024
