New System Launch: AI and 3D Technology Make Material 'Try-Ons' a Reality

At Stucco Plus, we have spent years mastering Italian plaster (Stucco) and other traditional plastering techniques, creating beautiful spaces for countless clients around the world.

Today, we are excited to announce a breakthrough solution to one of the industry's most persistent challenges: helping clients visualize materials before installation. In partnership with SAMURAI ARCHITECTS—a company driving digital transformation in the architecture industry through cutting-edge technology—we have developed the "Stucco 3D Simulator", powered by AI and WebGL. Alongside this system, we are also launching "MATERIAL CLUB", a collaborative initiative to digitize architectural materials.

The technology behind this system is currently patent pending.

1. The Challenge: Bridging the "30cm Sample Gap"

Selecting materials is one of the most critical—and most difficult—decisions in any architectural or interior design project. For years, we have presented clients and designers with 30cm square cut samples, but there has always been an inevitable "imagination gap."

"How will this small sample look when it covers an entire wall?"
"How will it catch the light? How will it interact with the furniture and shadows in the room?"

Physical samples alone simply cannot convey the true atmosphere of a finished space. To solve this problem, we partnered with SAMURAI ARCHITECTS to create a tool that lets clients "try on" paints and plaster materials—just like trying on clothes before buying.

2. How It Works: AI × Physically-Based Rendering for a "Digital Twin"

Our simulator is far more than a simple image compositing app. We have implemented state-of-the-art technology to faithfully reproduce the craftsmanship of our artisans in the digital realm.

Spatial AI (Depth Estimation)

From a single room photograph, our AI estimates metric depth—the actual distance in meters to each point in the image. This allows us to calculate the approximate real-world area of wall surfaces. By cross-referencing this with preset texture scale coefficients for each plaster material, the system automatically adjusts the texture scale to match what you would see in an actual installation.

But it goes further: rather than just converting wall surfaces, we reconstruct the entire space as a 3D environment. The target wall regions are then replaced with physically-accurate material data. The system also analyzes lighting conditions from the original photo, automatically placing virtual lights within the 3D scene. The result is seamless composition without perspective distortion, combined with realistic shadow and highlight rendering.

We are committed to continuously improving the accuracy of this technology and adding new features over time.

Physically-Based Rendering (PBR)

Our system employs Physically-Based Rendering (PBR), combining multiple texture maps beyond just base color to achieve photorealistic results.

• Normal Map: Reproduces fine surface irregularities, capturing the authentic trowel marks and granular texture unique to plaster finishes
• Roughness Map: Controls light reflectivity, enabling everything from matte finishes to high-gloss polished surfaces
• Height Map: Represents actual geometric displacement, creating deeper, more dimensional textures
• Metal Map: Recreates the metallic sheen of specialty finishes like Metaluce

Through these physics-based calculations, we faithfully reproduce how materials respond to light—the subtle variations in sheen and the distinctive luster of artisanal plaster—all rendered directly in your browser.

Web-Based, No Installation Required

No special software needed. The simulator runs on any PC or tablet browser, ready to use during design meetings and client consultations.

3. The Impact

This system fundamentally changes the material selection workflow.

Faster Decision-Making

Eliminate the risk of "it looked different in my head" moments. Clients can confidently approve materials knowing exactly how they will appear. The simulator also allows for easy color variations, enabling quick comparison of multiple options.

It also helps answer complex design questions like "Should we extend the finish to the ceiling?" or "How bold should the accent wall be?"—questions that require seeing the entire space to answer properly.

Enhanced Proposal Quality

Share the beauty of textures instantly and visually—no more struggling to describe them in words.

Beyond uploading your own room photos, the system also offers pre-built 3D environment models that you can manipulate intuitively. These offer even higher precision than photo-based estimation, allowing you to truly feel the atmosphere of a space. We plan to continue expanding our library with living rooms, offices, retail spaces, and more.

Buying a home, renovating, opening a shop, designing a museum—these are not everyday decisions. For most clients, these are once-in-a-lifetime moments. That is precisely why realistic simulation beforehand is essential to relieve anxiety and build confidence. In fact, we believe this kind of experience should be a standard feature offered by every material manufacturer.

4. Looking Ahead: MATERIAL CLUB and Partner Recruitment

This simulator is just the beginning.

To extend this vision across the entire industry, we have established "MATERIAL CLUB" together with our development partner, SAMURAI ARCHITECTS.

🔗 MATERIAL CLUB Official Website

🔗 Press Release (PR TIMES)

MATERIAL CLUB is an ecosystem where architects, 3D modelers, material manufacturers, and construction companies collaborate to make "Material Digital Twins"—realistic 3D data with authentic material properties—the new industry standard.

The showcase 3D environments featured in our simulator are created by Yuta Horie, an architect and spatial designer who works across both real and virtual worlds. This collaboration embodies exactly the kind of cross-industry synergy that MATERIAL CLUB is all about—moving beyond the traditional "real vs. digital" divide to leverage the best of both.

Yuta Horie

https://note.com/yuta_3dcg

Partner Companies Wanted

We want to make this technology and platform open to the world.

To paint manufacturers, plaster material producers, tile makers, and building material companies worldwide: let us help you digitize your products so that architects and designers everywhere can instantly try them on the web.

• Want to turn your product catalog into a digital simulator
• Interested in MATERIAL CLUB's initiatives
• Looking to drive digital transformation in construction materials

If any of this resonates with you—whether you're a company, a 3D modeler, or an architect—please reach out. Because we understand the true beauty of real materials, we can create digital experiences that do them justice.

Contact us via our contact form or through social media DMs. We look forward to hearing from you.