Hello everyone, I'm pleased to find the time to write again. This time, I would like to share my insights into the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in architecture and how AI has significantly enhanced my workflow efficiency.
In the realm of artificial intelligence, our minds often gravitate toward autopilot cars or virtual assistants in homes. However, AI's advancements have transcended various industries, including architecture. One noteworthy platform harnessing the power of AI is Midjourney, and I'm delighted to share my experiences with it.
I often invest considerable time in searching for ideas, analyzing them, and transforming these ideas into design concepts. With Midjourney's assistance, this process has become markedly quicker and more streamlined. Nevertheless, it's crucial to note that diving into Midjourney without pre-existing ideas or concepts may result in spending substantial time generating images without a clear understanding of their substance.
For me, the design process commences with conceptualization and sketches. After formulating an initial idea, I leverage Midjourney to gain a more nuanced understanding of the conceptual development I'm aiming to achieve.
About Midjourney and How It Works
Midjourney stands as a generative AI employing Discord as its primary platform. Capable of generating images based on user prompts, it operates on keywords provided by users to produce images aligned with their intended outcome.
In the realm of architectural work, Midjourney serves as an innovative and efficient solution. Its rapid analysis and interpretation of prompts are particularly impressive. Users simply need to articulate a prompt to generate an image, such as:
"medium front shot of black modern minimalist 2 storey luxury house at night. features with garage and carport with black super car. professional color grading, dark vibes --ar 16:9 --v 5", then it will produce the image below:
The platform consistently produces four images, providing users the flexibility to regenerate until a satisfactory result is achieved. Users can then select one of the four images for further detailed generation or upscaling.
Writing the Right Prompt
Crafting an effective prompt is pivotal to obtaining desired outcomes. The prompt I provided earlier contains several keywords;
medium front shot, for the camera angle/photo shooting.
black modern minimalist luxury house, for the color and design style of the main object.
night, to indicate the time.
garage and carport with black super car, for more detailed description.
professional color grading, for image coloring.
dark vibes, to describe the atmosphere.
--ar 16:9, for aspect ratio (it can be 1:1 for a square image, or 9:16 for portrait images)
--v 5, for the Midjourney version (Currently version 5. The higher the version, the better the results)
Each keyword represents a parameter, and a comprehensive prompt results in a more detailed generated image. A short prompt gives AI the freedom to explore more extensively to generate images, but sometimes the results do not meet expectations. Conversely, a complete and detailed prompt will produce images that are closer to your desires, although still have an element of randomness. However, it is recommended to use concise sentences.
Drawing from my experience, while Midjourney excels at generating detailed images, it may not achieve extremely high detail, especially in terms of size and quantity-related aspects, such as land width, window height, or the number of doors.
The art of crafting prompts is instrumental in dictating Midjourney's image generation outcomes. Time invested in refining prompts to align with specific expectations can significantly impact the quality of generated images. To facilitate prompt writing, I've compiled a prompt list available for download at this link.
How I Incorporate Midjourney into My Workflow
Utilizing Midjourney without pre-existing ideas can be time-consuming, as previously highlighted. I always commence by ideating and then utilize Midjourney to gain a clearer visual understanding of the atmosphere, materials, and the overall concept of the building or room I plan to design.
For example, envisioning a weekend villa atop a hill with a sea view, I conceptualize a modern tropical architecture. As this is a weekend home, a swimming pool becomes a necessity. With the house positioned on a hill, a beautiful sea view prompts an open-plan living room design with a direct view towards the sea. This space should encapsulate the essence of a modern tropical interior, utilizing natural materials and furniture. Access to the swimming pool directly from the living room is also essential.
After outlining the idea broadly, I turn to Midjourney to gain a more nuanced understanding of that concept, resulting in images like the one below:
While Midjourney's generated images are detailed, they are not without limitations. For instance, implementing a hanging plant on the left side of the room may prove challenging in real-world conditions. Nonetheless, the generated images serve as valuable references for room dimensions, atmosphere, material types, furniture shapes, pool positions, and other details essential for further concept development.
Midjourney also facilitates the exploration of alternatives within existing designs. In the Acreon Casa project, I sought alternative front views of the building.
By utilizing the initial image as a reference and requesting Midjourney to generate four alternatives, the results provided viable design alternatives, as showcased below:
Through Midjourney, I could explore multiple facade design alternatives for the project. While adjustments are necessary considering other contextual factors, such as size, scale, composition, and costs, Midjourney serves as a catalyst for generating fresh ideas and perspectives.
Other Examples of Midjourney Outputs
Here are several additional AI rendering results created for enjoyment within a few minutes, each accompanied by a corresponding prompt.
"medium shot of tropical Bali villa living room at day, furniture is a mix of modern and rustic, glass door that opens onto a spacious outdoor pool deck, --ar 16:9 --v 5"
"front view shot, facade of white minimalist coffee shop, shinichi ogawa style, --ar 16:9 --v 5"
"calm, medium shot of a modern contemporary bedroom with a large window, shot from movie, cinema composition shot, professional color grading, warm lighting, moody atmosphere, --ar 16:9 --v 5"
"medium shot of modern minimalist kitchen at day, wes anderson style, --ar 4:3 --v 5"
"details sheet architectural drawing graphics of modern house, --ar 4:3"
"floor plan, top aerial view, 3 bedrooms cabin villa with swimming pool, tropical style, --ar 4:3 --v 5"
"axonometric modern minimalist house building, low polygon style, one tone backgorund, --ar 1:1 --v 5"
In conclusion, this encapsulates my experience using Midjourney. The integration of AI into architecture has ushered in a new era of innovation and efficiency. For those interested in exploring it, a brief guide on using Midjourney is available at this link.
See you in the next article, stay creative and innovative, my friends!