Revolutionising the construction industry – Mariana Popescu

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