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Software Engineering

Best Architecture Prompts for Midjourney and Stable Diffusion

Written by Kacper Staniul

Creating stunning architectural designs with generative AI tools like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion is not rocket science, even when you're new to this.

The best way to get up to speed quickly is by studying prompts used by other architects and designers, repurposing them for your own needs, and a lot of practice to figure out what makes an impact on your results.

To save you some time on research, we collected some of the best architecture prompts for Midjourney and Stable Diffusion from the Internet and listed them below.

These prompts can be used in any text-to-image generation models, as well as specialized AI rendering tools like MyArchitectAI.

We also included best practices and tips for writing high-performing prompts.

Let's have a look at the example prompts and outputs.

Midjourney vs Stable Diffusion for AI architectural design

While both Midjourney and Stable Diffusion can be powerful in the early design conceptualization process, you can make the most of each if you know what they're best at.

Here's the comparison:

Midjourney Stable Diffusion
Focus Artistic, stylized renderings Realistic, technically detailed renderings
Prompt Syntax Natural language with artistic modifiers Keywords and phrases emphasizing details
Modifiers and parameters Style, aspect ratio, quality levels Seed values, image dimensions, steps
Custom Models Not available Extensive custom models available
Iteration Process Iterative improvements with prompt adjustments Direct generation with specific parameters
Rendering Style Concept art, mood boards, and visualization Realistic previews, and detailed renders
Strengths Creativity, vibrant visuals, unique styles Accuracy, precision, and realistic representation
Weaknesses May lack technical detail and realism May require detailed prompts for stylistic variations
Best Use Cases Conceptual architectural designs, artistic representations of projects, mood boards and visual storytelling Detailed architectural renders, realistic previews for client presentations

And here's how the prompts differ:

Midjourney

A modern residential house with large glass windows, surrounded by a lush garden, minimalist design, evening light, artistic style --ar 16:9 --v 5 --style 4a

Stable Diffusion

realistic render of modern residential house, minimalist design, large glass windows, lush garden, accurate evening light --seed 12345 --steps 100

Best practices for architecture prompts in Midjourney

While you can generate impressive architectural designs even with short and simple prompts, adding more details gives you more control over the output and opens a whole new world of possibilities.

Here are some high-level guidelines to achieve above-average results with Midjourney:

  • Use descriptive but specific language and avoid redundant words (e.g. use "huge" instead of "big")
  • Describe what you want to see instead of what you don't want to see in the output (e.g. "clear sky" is preferable to "sky with no clouds")
  • Test different variations of your prompts and compare results

What details to include in your Midjourney prompt:

  • Scene type (residential house, boathouse, patio, office interior)
  • Image style (3D rendering, illustration, sketch, masterplan)
  • Architectural style (modern, minimalist, midcentury, brutalism)
  • Mood (sedate, calm, raucous, energetic)
  • Materials (cast iron door, wooden slabs, concrete floor)
  • Textures (oak stack, polished concrete, calacatta gold, sofia marble)
  • Colors (be as specific as you need)
  • Lighting (ambient, natural, sunset, dusk, dramatic lighting)
  • Landscape and weather (icelandic glaciers, beachfront, downtown Manhattan, Amsterdam alley)
  • Camera settings and angles (canon EOS 5D, Canon EF 85mm f/1. 2L II USM, shallow depth of field, focus on the bed)
  • Parameters (here's a full list)
  • Architect’s name (if you want to draw inspiration from their work)

Here are some more tips from Midjourney's official documentation.

Midjourney architecture prompts

minimalist store exterior, at dusk, the architecture should feature clean lines with a sophisticated monochromatic, integrating elements of modernism and minimalism, display window, indoor wall warm grey and texture finished, diffused light on the curated objects within, which reflect a blend of natural textures, the composition should be balanced and serene, evoking a sense of high-end fashion and artistry, the pavement should have a herringbone pattern, with subtle reflections of the storefront lighting, the overall image should be sharp, exquisite detail, from the texture of the building materials to the softness of the light’s glow --ar 9:16 --style raw --stylize 750 --v 6
Image courtesy of user Grayve on PromptHero

photorealistic, canon EOS 5d, minimalistic retail shop facede design, black semi glossy color on facade panel walls, geometric shaped outline, archdaily style, expert, ultra realistic, many details, dramatic lighting, lighting effects, motion blurring walking crowd, award-winning, rainny, car tail lightings --ar 9:16 --stylize 750
Image courtesy of user Grayve on PromptHero

college of engineering,3D printing technology,sustainability techniques, modern design in dubai
Image courtesy of user f1524e5c6f0 from PromptHero

lark architects reflect house in new zealand,sunny day, in the style of light reflections, happy atmospheric perspective, photo taken with nikon d750, luxurious, symmetrical, poured
Image courtesy of user Yulil from PromptHero

disposable photography of UK palace, dreamy mood, --ar 3:4
Image courtesy of user LUCASMETA from PromptHero

elegant staircase in an old Italian villa, with a marble patterned floor and a small round table at the bottom holding some flowers, photographed in the style of Paolo Roversi. --ar 103:128 --style raw
Image courtesy of user Dallas59 from PromptHero

photography, dynamic view, modernism mid-scale store facade design, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM lens, set f/2.8 for a depth of field that highlights architectural photography, design should blend different materials in a way that’s both innovative and aesthetically pleasing, focus on a clean composition, with sharp lines and a balanced interplay between light and shadow, archdaily style, hight contrast, highlight the facade’s details and textures, like the unique patterns in the materials or the play of light through the windows, to evoke a sense of depth and realism, with an emphasis on the facade as the focal point of the composition, night, some people silhouette, car taillights, lens flare effect, photorealistic, detail of the facade’s design and materials --no unreal scale --ar 9:16 --style raw --stylize 750 --v 6
Image courtesy of user Grayve from PromptHero

architectural photography, visualize a professionally composed interior shot that accentuates the modern industrial design of the space, capturing the corridor lined with sleek, mesh-covered cabinets and robust black ventilation ducts that criss-cross the wooden ceiling beams, the image should embody the contrast between the organic textures of the white exposed brick wall and the smooth, dark finishes of the contemporary fittings, lighting is key, with soft, diffused light gently highlighting the corridor and creating a warm, inviting glow, the perspective should be deep and linear, drawing the eye through the space, with a focus on symmetry and the interplay between the materials and the architectural elements, for realism, think of using a full-frame DSLR camera with a wide-angle lens, set to a narrow aperture, like f/8, to keep the entire scene in focus from the foreground to the back, and a balanced exposure that captures both the shadows and highlights with clarity, evoking the feel of an architectural digest feature, UHD --ar 9:16 --style raw --stylize 300
Image courtesy of user Grayve from PromptHero

photography, minimalism, front shot with eye level, full-frame DSLR camera, living room, the color of the space is brown, beige, and white, simple floor stand light with ambient lighting, furniture with clean lines and neutral hues matching the wooden flooring, large windows casting soft diffused daylight, set to capture the interplay of natural and artificial light, realism sunlights, lighting arrangement on the ceiling is simple and neatly arranged with warm white indirect light, emphasizing the contrast between the warm under lighting and the cool daylight with balanced exposure to highlight textures and the peaceful atmosphere, golden compositions, UHD --ar 9:16 --style raw --stylize 500
Image courtesy of user Grayve from PromptHero

modern elegant and raunchy architecture house next to the beach
Image courtesy of user kushal99 from PromptHero

modern architecture, inspired by Gaudi, minimalism, modern, --ar 3:4
Image courtesy of user LUCASMETA from PromptHero

photography, minimalist kitchen, front, matte deep blue, enhancing the clean, matte modern white faucet sits atop a black countertop, flooring is matte light grey stone slab, simple ceiling--ar 9:16
Image courtesy of user Grayve from PromptHero

visualize a modern luxury bathroom interior from a front-view perspective, features an elegant white marble sink, accompanied by a matte gold faucet, a wall-mounted toilet in a sleek white ceramic enhances the room's luxurious, include a large mirror with a gold filigree frame that reflects the opulent decor of the room, the floor and walls are finished in large, white and grey veined marble tiles, adding to the lavish aesthetic, soft LED lighting is integrated into the ceiling and behind the mirror, casting a warm, glowing light across the space, creating a serene and opulent atmosphere, ensure the image captures the interplay of warm artificial light and natural daylight, emphasizing the polished surfaces and elegant lines typical of a luxury bathroom design --ar 9:16 --style raw
Image courtesy of user Grayve from PromptHero

architectural photography, striking architectural space interplay of geometry and light creates a visual symphony, warm-toned transparent panels cascade, intersecting with robust wooden steps that double as seating, lending a sense of modernity infused with warmth, the space feels open yet intimate, industrial with exposed ceilings and a blend of raw and polished surfaces that converse in harmony, used camera is Sony α7R IV, paired with a Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens, set to an aperture of f/8 for optimal depth of field and sharpness, shutter speed of 1/125 to freeze the ambient light play, keeping ISO at 100 for the finest image quality, RTX 4090 shader, unreal engine 5, realistic lights, hyper detail, high contrast and highlights, ultra realistic, 16K UHD --ar 9:16 --style raw --stylize 750
Image courtesy of user Grayve from PromptHero

Stable Diffusion architecture prompts

Prompt:

DE Tradisional villa house on the Maldives coast with a very beautiful and amazing beach, the camera position is above the plane or top canera, position top view position camera hight , simetris, amazing building, Set your professionl camera to aperture priority mode, f/8, ISO 200, lens camera 12 mm, and use a wide-angle lens to emphasize the suspended structure. v 5.1, corona rendering with GI, natural and realistic, lighting awesome, mood color amaziing, list [reality effect], Nature, [regular lines], simple geometry, corona rendering with General Iluminium, Ultra image detail, 8K Image, rendering 3d, lighting amazing and awesome, 8k , realistic image, ultra detail, 8k, sun awesome, awesome , zoom out camera, image<lora:add_detail:0.8> <lora:more_details:0.8>

Negative prompt:

DE Tradisional villa house on the Maldives coast with a very beautiful and amazing beach, the camera position is above the plane or top canera, position top view position camera hight , simetris, amazing building, Set your professionl camera to aperture priority mode, f/8, ISO 200, lens camera 12 mm, and use a wide-angle lens to emphasize the suspended structure. v 5.1, corona rendering with GI, natural and realistic, lighting awesome, mood color amaziing, list [reality effect], Nature, [regular lines], simple geometry, corona rendering with General Iluminium, Ultra image detail, 8K Image, rendering 3d, lighting amazing and awesome, 8k , realistic image, ultra detail, 8k, sun awesome, awesome , zoom out camera, image<lora:add_detail:0.8> <lora:more_details:0.8>
Image courtesy of user 98e764f7f4b from PromptHero

Prompt:

a small kitchen with a black and white kitchen set, white marble floor, gray plaster walls, small table and chairs (in the middle), with green plants in flower pots, in the style of minimalism, hi-tech, interior design
Image courtesy of user RingoRyu from PromptHero

Prompt:

photorealistic-realistic architectural rendering of a modern futuristic multiple house within concrete giant blocks and greenery and tall rounded windows with minimalist interior, foggy city location, stylish, generative design, cinematic lighting, micro unreal engine 5 effects, 8K sharp focus qualities

Negative prompt:

| Low Quality | | text logos | | watermarks | | signatures | | out of frame | | jpeg artifacts | | ugly | | poorly drawn | | extra limbs | | extra hands | | extra feet | | backwards limbs | | extra fingers | | extra toes | | unrealistic, incorrect, bad anatomy | | cut off body pieces | | strange body positions | | impossible body positioning | | Mismatched eyes | | cross eyed | | crooked face | | crooked lips | | unclear | | undefined | | mutations | | deformities | | off center | | poor_composition | | duplicate faces
Image courtesy of user Atheist from PromptHero

Prompt:

photography, dynamic view, modernism mid-scale store facade design, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM lens, set f/2.8 for a depth of field that highlights architectural photography, design should blend different materials in a way that’s both innovative and aesthetically pleasing, focus on a clean composition, with sharp lines and a balanced interplay between light and shadow, archdaily style, hight contrast, highlight the facade’s details and textures, like the unique patterns in the materials or the play of light through the windows, to evoke a sense of depth and realism, with an emphasis on the facade as the focal point of the composition, night, some people silhouette, car taillights, lens flare effect, photorealistic, detail of the facade’s design and materials --no unreal scale --ar 9:16 --style raw --stylize 750 --v 6 <lora:add detail SDXL:2.0>

Negative prompt:

embedding:BadDream, embedding:Beyondv4-neg, embedding:EasyNegativeV2, embedding:No 512 neg, embedding:boring_e621_v4, embedding:easy negative, embedding:ng deep negative, embedding:very bad image negative (((text) )), ((out of frame) ), (worst quality:2) , (low quality:2) , (normal quality:2) , normal quality, ((monochrome) ), ((grayscale) ), ((HDR) )

Prompt:

((Steampunk)), ((dystopian art, bladerunner art, dark fantasy)), cogsworth, hyper detailed masterpiece, dynamic realistic digital art, awesome quality, flammable mansion, funnelform diagon alley, freshness the great forest of zamonia soft particles, peano curve, gaseous composition, solutions-oriented, caustic, gripping, ghastly, nocturnal.

Negative prompt:

sketches, (worst quality:2) , (low quality:2) , (normal quality:2) , ((non-symmetrical eyes) ), chromatic aberration, lowres, normal quality, ((monochrome) ), ((grayscale) ), skin spots, acnes, skin blemishes, bad anatomy, DeepNegative, facing away, tilted head, lowres, bad hands, text, error, missing fingers, extra digit, fewer digits, cropped, worstquality, low quality, normal quality, jpegartifacts, signature, watermark, username, blurry, bad feet, cropped, poorly drawn hands, poorly drawn face, mutation, deformed, worst quality, low quality, normal quality, jpeg artifacts, signature, watermark, extra fingers, fewer digits, extra limbs, extra arms, extra legs, malformed limbs, fused fingers, too many fingers, long neck, cross-eyed, mutated hands, polar lowres, bad body, bad proportions, gross proportions, text, error, missing fingers, missing arms, missing legs, extra digit, extra arms, extra leg, extra foot, totem, totem body, double body.
Image courtesy of user PaddyCF from PromptHero

Learning architecture prompts for Midjourney

Prompting Midjourney and Stable Diffusion is a valuable skill for architects and designers so start learning it now so you don't get left behind.

The architecture prompts we listed above are a great resource to get inspiration from and start creating your own designs and visualizations using generative AI tools.

The experimentation process is a lot of fun so we're sure you'll enjoy it too!