diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/geometry_component_mesh.cc b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/geometry_component_mesh.cc
index 7b694be324a..bdb1b0edf8b 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/geometry_component_mesh.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/geometry_component_mesh.cc
@@ -984,26 +984,26 @@ class VArrayImpl_For_VertexWeights final : public VMutableArrayImpl<float> {
     });
   }
 
-  void materialize(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<float> r_span) const override
+  void materialize(IndexMask mask, float *dst) const override
   {
     if (dverts_ == nullptr) {
-      return r_span.fill_indices(mask, 0.0f);
+      mask.foreach_index([&](const int i) { dst[i] = 0.0f; });
     }
     threading::parallel_for(mask.index_range(), 4096, [&](const IndexRange range) {
       for (const int64_t i : mask.slice(range)) {
         if (const MDeformWeight *weight = this->find_weight_at_index(i)) {
-          r_span[i] = weight->weight;
+          dst[i] = weight->weight;
         }
         else {
-          r_span[i] = 0.0f;
+          dst[i] = 0.0f;
         }
       }
     });
   }
 
-  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<float> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, float *dst) const override
   {
-    this->materialize(mask, r_span);
+    this->materialize(mask, dst);
   }
 
  private:
diff --git a/source/blender/blenlib/BLI_generic_virtual_array.hh b/source/blender/blenlib/BLI_generic_virtual_array.hh
index cba767341c1..cb45da5e495 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenlib/BLI_generic_virtual_array.hh
+++ b/source/blender/blenlib/BLI_generic_virtual_array.hh
@@ -388,25 +388,24 @@ template<typename T> class VArrayImpl_For_GVArray : public VArrayImpl<T> {
     return true;
   }
 
-  void materialize(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    varray_.materialize(mask, r_span.data());
+    varray_.materialize(mask, dst);
   }
 
-  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    varray_.materialize_to_uninitialized(mask, r_span.data());
+    varray_.materialize_to_uninitialized(mask, dst);
   }
 
-  void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    varray_.materialize_compressed(mask, r_span.data());
+    varray_.materialize_compressed(mask, dst);
   }
 
-  void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask,
-                                               MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    varray_.materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(mask, r_span.data());
+    varray_.materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(mask, dst);
   }
 };
 
@@ -539,25 +538,24 @@ template<typename T> class VMutableArrayImpl_For_GVMutableArray : public VMutabl
     return true;
   }
 
-  void materialize(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    varray_.materialize(mask, r_span.data());
+    varray_.materialize(mask, dst);
   }
 
-  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    varray_.materialize_to_uninitialized(mask, r_span.data());
+    varray_.materialize_to_uninitialized(mask, dst);
   }
 
-  void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    varray_.materialize_compressed(mask, r_span.data());
+    varray_.materialize_compressed(mask, dst);
   }
 
-  void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask,
-                                               MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    varray_.materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(mask, r_span.data());
+    varray_.materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(mask, dst);
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/source/blender/blenlib/BLI_virtual_array.hh b/source/blender/blenlib/BLI_virtual_array.hh
index 189cb85d468..819807843df 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenlib/BLI_virtual_array.hh
+++ b/source/blender/blenlib/BLI_virtual_array.hh
@@ -107,17 +107,16 @@ template<typename T> class VArrayImpl {
    * Copy values from the virtual array into the provided span. The index of the value in the
    * virtual array is the same as the index in the span.
    */
-  virtual void materialize(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const
+  virtual void materialize(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const
   {
-    mask.foreach_index([&](const int64_t i) { r_span[i] = this->get(i); });
+    mask.foreach_index([&](const int64_t i) { dst[i] = this->get(i); });
   }
 
   /**
    * Same as #materialize but #r_span is expected to be uninitialized.
    */
-  virtual void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const
+  virtual void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const
   {
-    T *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.foreach_index([&](const int64_t i) { new (dst + i) T(this->get(i)); });
   }
 
@@ -126,12 +125,11 @@ template<typename T> class VArrayImpl {
    * in virtual array is not the same as the index in the output span. Instead, the span is filled
    * without gaps.
    */
-  virtual void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const
+  virtual void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const
   {
-    BLI_assert(mask.size() == r_span.size());
     mask.to_best_mask_type([&](auto best_mask) {
       for (const int64_t i : IndexRange(best_mask.size())) {
-        r_span[i] = this->get(best_mask[i]);
+        dst[i] = this->get(best_mask[i]);
       }
     });
   }
@@ -139,10 +137,8 @@ template<typename T> class VArrayImpl {
   /**
    * Same as #materialize_compressed but #r_span is expected to be uninitialized.
    */
-  virtual void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const
+  virtual void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const
   {
-    BLI_assert(mask.size() == r_span.size());
-    T *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.to_best_mask_type([&](auto best_mask) {
       for (const int64_t i : IndexRange(best_mask.size())) {
         new (dst + i) T(this->get(best_mask[i]));
@@ -254,32 +250,27 @@ template<typename T> class VArrayImpl_For_Span : public VMutableArrayImpl<T> {
     return data_ == static_cast<const T *>(other_info.data);
   }
 
-  void materialize(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    mask.foreach_index([&](const int64_t i) { r_span[i] = data_[i]; });
+    mask.foreach_index([&](const int64_t i) { dst[i] = data_[i]; });
   }
 
-  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    T *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.foreach_index([&](const int64_t i) { new (dst + i) T(data_[i]); });
   }
 
-  void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    BLI_assert(mask.size() == r_span.size());
     mask.to_best_mask_type([&](auto best_mask) {
       for (const int64_t i : IndexRange(best_mask.size())) {
-        r_span[i] = data_[best_mask[i]];
+        dst[i] = data_[best_mask[i]];
       }
     });
   }
 
-  void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask,
-                                               MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    BLI_assert(mask.size() == r_span.size());
-    T *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.to_best_mask_type([&](auto best_mask) {
       for (const int64_t i : IndexRange(best_mask.size())) {
         new (dst + i) T(data_[best_mask[i]]);
@@ -357,29 +348,24 @@ template<typename T> class VArrayImpl_For_Single final : public VArrayImpl<T> {
     return CommonVArrayInfo(CommonVArrayInfo::Type::Single, true, &value_);
   }
 
-  void materialize(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    r_span.fill_indices(mask, value_);
+    mask.foreach_index([&](const int64_t i) { dst[i] = value_; });
   }
 
-  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    T *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.foreach_index([&](const int64_t i) { new (dst + i) T(value_); });
   }
 
-  void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    BLI_assert(mask.size() == r_span.size());
-    UNUSED_VARS_NDEBUG(mask);
-    r_span.fill(value_);
+    initialized_fill_n(dst, mask.size(), value_);
   }
 
-  void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask,
-                                               MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    BLI_assert(mask.size() == r_span.size());
-    uninitialized_fill_n(r_span.data(), mask.size(), value_);
+    uninitialized_fill_n(dst, mask.size(), value_);
   }
 };
 
@@ -406,22 +392,18 @@ template<typename T, typename GetFunc> class VArrayImpl_For_Func final : public
     return get_func_(index);
   }
 
-  void materialize(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    T *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.foreach_index([&](const int64_t i) { dst[i] = get_func_(i); });
   }
 
-  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    T *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.foreach_index([&](const int64_t i) { new (dst + i) T(get_func_(i)); });
   }
 
-  void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    BLI_assert(mask.size() == r_span.size());
-    T *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.to_best_mask_type([&](auto best_mask) {
       for (const int64_t i : IndexRange(best_mask.size())) {
         dst[i] = get_func_(best_mask[i]);
@@ -429,11 +411,8 @@ template<typename T, typename GetFunc> class VArrayImpl_For_Func final : public
     });
   }
 
-  void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask,
-                                               MutableSpan<T> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, T *dst) const override
   {
-    BLI_assert(mask.size() == r_span.size());
-    T *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.to_best_mask_type([&](auto best_mask) {
       for (const int64_t i : IndexRange(best_mask.size())) {
         new (dst + i) T(get_func_(best_mask[i]));
@@ -476,22 +455,18 @@ class VArrayImpl_For_DerivedSpan final : public VMutableArrayImpl<ElemT> {
     SetFunc(data_[index], std::move(value));
   }
 
-  void materialize(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<ElemT> r_span) const override
+  void materialize(IndexMask mask, ElemT *dst) const override
   {
-    ElemT *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.foreach_index([&](const int64_t i) { dst[i] = GetFunc(data_[i]); });
   }
 
-  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<ElemT> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, ElemT *dst) const override
   {
-    ElemT *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.foreach_index([&](const int64_t i) { new (dst + i) ElemT(GetFunc(data_[i])); });
   }
 
-  void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<ElemT> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, ElemT *dst) const override
   {
-    BLI_assert(mask.size() == r_span.size());
-    ElemT *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.to_best_mask_type([&](auto best_mask) {
       for (const int64_t i : IndexRange(best_mask.size())) {
         dst[i] = GetFunc(data_[best_mask[i]]);
@@ -499,11 +474,8 @@ class VArrayImpl_For_DerivedSpan final : public VMutableArrayImpl<ElemT> {
     });
   }
 
-  void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask,
-                                               MutableSpan<ElemT> r_span) const override
+  void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, ElemT *dst) const override
   {
-    BLI_assert(mask.size() == r_span.size());
-    ElemT *dst = r_span.data();
     mask.to_best_mask_type([&](auto best_mask) {
       for (const int64_t i : IndexRange(best_mask.size())) {
         new (dst + i) ElemT(GetFunc(data_[best_mask[i]]));
@@ -835,7 +807,7 @@ template<typename T> class VArrayCommon {
   void materialize(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const
   {
     BLI_assert(mask.min_array_size() <= this->size());
-    impl_->materialize(mask, r_span);
+    impl_->materialize(mask, r_span.data());
   }
 
   void materialize_to_uninitialized(MutableSpan<T> r_span) const
@@ -846,18 +818,18 @@ template<typename T> class VArrayCommon {
   void materialize_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const
   {
     BLI_assert(mask.min_array_size() <= this->size());
-    impl_->materialize_to_uninitialized(mask, r_span);
+    impl_->materialize_to_uninitialized(mask, r_span.data());
   }
 
   /** Copy some elements of the virtual array into a span. */
   void materialize_compressed(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const
   {
-    impl_->materialize_compressed(mask, r_span);
+    impl_->materialize_compressed(mask, r_span.data());
   }
 
   void materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(IndexMask mask, MutableSpan<T> r_span) const
   {
-    impl_->materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(mask, r_span);
+    impl_->materialize_compressed_to_uninitialized(mask, r_span.data());
   }
 
   /** See #GVArrayImpl::try_assign_GVArray. */
@@ -865,6 +837,11 @@ template<typename T> class VArrayCommon {
   {
     return impl_->try_assign_GVArray(varray);
   }
+
+  const VArrayImpl<T> *get_implementation() const
+  {
+    return impl_;
+  }
 };
 
 template<typename T> class VMutableArray;