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