Here’s how to put the ‘fabric’ into fabricate, as ETH Zurich alumna and TU Delft Assistant Professor of Digital Fabrication Mariana Popescu explains.

Could a knitting machine revolutionise construction? 

For her PhD, ETH Zurich alumna Mariana Popescu worked with the Block Research Group to show that it’s possible to use lightweight knitted textiles as a mold for concrete. Mariana discusses knitting machines, complex geometry, and why her PhD project needed two suitcases to get to Mexico.

This is her story.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to the Knit Candela project

(01:18) Using fabric formwork for casting concrete

(04:08) Construction of the Knit Candela structure

(04:32) Computation and modeling in the project

(05:26) The Swiss influence on the project

(06:21) Applicability of the project beyond Switzerland

(07:21) Scaling up the project and future developments

(08:18) Improving the design for reusability and waste reduction

(08:48) The multidisciplinary skills required for the project

(09:12) Choosing ETH Zurich for further studies

(10:40) The process of selecting the thesis topic

(11:39) The role of collaboration and openness in the project

(12:33) Mariana's knitting and programming skills

(13:01) Understanding parametric design and computational design

(14:24) Setting up a group focused on fabrication

(15:20) The potential impact of the projects on architecture and construction

(16:18) Mariana's curiosity in fabrication and materials

(18:08) Closing remarks and podcast outro