Materially Efficient: Knitting, Coding, and Concrete

What if the future of sustainable construction looked less like traditional building and more like knitting? Speaking with Building 32 host Karen Given, MIT CSAIL Assistant Professor Mariana Popescu explains how, using a combination of computational design, digital fabrication, and industrial knitting machines, she is rethinking how we build complex structures. Her research explores using knitted textiles as lightweight, efficient concrete formworks, allowing architects and engineers to create complex geometries while using less material and producing less waste. Mariana discusses the origins of her work with fabric formwork, her early experiments with knitted structures, and how a small knitted bridge helped demonstrate the potential of the technique. She also explains why sustainability doesn't have to come at the expense of beauty or human experience. Episode Resources: More about Necto: https://necto-venice.com/ Biennale Architettura 2025: https://www.labiennale.org/it/architettura/2025 KnitCandela in Mexico City: https://maadpope.com/knitcandela/ See the piece Mariana showed Karen: https://maadpope.com/knitcrete/ Learn more about Mariana Popescu: Personal website: https://maadpope.com Spotlight: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/engage/spotlights/mariana-popescu Building 32 episodes, meet the host, and more: csail.mit.edu/podcast Connect with CSAIL Alliances: On our site: cap.csail.mit.edu/about-us/meet-our-team On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mit-csail #MITCSAIL #Building32 #Architecture #SustainableDesign #ComputationalDesign #DigitalFabrication #AI #Engineering