Ahlquist gained expertise in computationally designed textiles and composite materials while studying in the Architectural Association School of Architecture’s Emergent Design and Technologies program, in London, as well as at the ICD. Today, he trains students at the University of Michigan to use a large-scale CNC knitting machine to produce intricate fabric structures in collaboration with researchers from fields including aerospace, engineering, and computer science. Ahlquist’s early work consisted of lightweight fabric structures and textile-reinforced composites for architectural, aerospace, and automotive applications. More recently, however, personal circumstances motivated Ahlquist to pursue an entirely new and unexpected path."