Why Digitalize Our Material World? - Manwen Li

What if the bricks and mortar of tomorrow existed first as pixels? Discover how Manwen Li turned physical fabrics, tiles, and surfaces into ultra‑realistic digital twins—fueling faster iterations, richer creativity, and sampling. From pioneering Under Armour’s first virtual material library, she reveals the tech, the standards, and the surprising human challenges behind making “the physical digital.”Links:Manwen Li: https://www.manwenli.comUnder Amrour: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_ArmourMaterial Bank: https://www.materialbank.com/Swatchbook: https://www.swatchbook.us/Chapters00:00 Welcome & Digital Material Mission00:25 Why Pixel‑Perfect Materials Matter01:38 Beyond Renderings: Fashion & Footwear02:43 Material Bank’s Sampling Revolution05:27 Anatomy of a PBR Data Package08:04 Chasing Realism: Fidelity vs. Cost10:11 Photogrammetry vs. Procedural Workflows14:10 Everyday Digital Twins: Cars to Homes17:24 Economics of Digital vs. Physical19:04 Capturing Imperfection & Beating the Uncanny25:30 Speed vs. Depth in Creative Feedback28:22 Industry Fragmentation & the Library Gap33:16 Fashion Lessons for AEC Professionals39:41 Birth of the Digital‑Physical Co‑Twin47:33 Characterizing Today’s Information Era