In the first part of my talk, I will describe how tissue-scale cytoskeletal patterns in the developing Drosophila embryo guide robust tissue folding. Tissue folding is a ubiquitous shape change event during development whereby a cell sheet bends into a curved 3D structure. This mechanical process is remarkably robust, and the correct final form is almost always achieved despite internal fluctuations and external perturbations inherent in living systems. While many genetic and molecular strategies that lead to robust development have been established, much less is known about how mechanical patterns and movements are ensured at the population level. I will describe how quantitative imaging, physical modeling and concepts from network science uncovered the role of supracellular cytoskeletal patterns in governing collective interactions and shape change in the gastrulating fruit fly embryo. Then, I will shift my focus to new work in my lab exploring how cytoskeletal patterns change as cell size grows across length scales. I will present preliminary studies on the syncytiotrophoblast, a single multinucleated cell that lines the entire placenta. I will describe our efforts to interpret how architectural changes in the cytoskeleton tune the multinucleated cell’s mechanical properties, allowing it to resist rupturing under the external mechanical stress present during placental development.