Start with a written brief
Imagine a courtyard with one clear focus
Use words to explore an enclosed outdoor courtyard and the balance between its center and surrounding doors. Explicitly state outdoor courtyard in the general generator so the brief is not confused with an interior room.
What to explore
- Compare a central planted focus with an open paved center.
- Explore a small seat beside a planted wall.
- Develop a restrained enclosure and material mood for discussion.
From a brief to a concept
Define enclosure and routes
Write outdoor walls and door connections, replacing unrelated examples.
Choose one focus
Set a planted center or wall-edge composition, then choose ratio and count.
Compare openness
Generate and inspect movement around the focus before adding more objects.
Try a design direction
Suggested brief
Generate one realistic open-air enclosed courtyard with a modest central planting bed, quiet pale paving and clear movement between doors on the surrounding walls. One small movable seat, soft daylight, no glass roof, fountain, people or labels.
How to review the result
- Does the scene read as outdoors with an understandable enclosure and sky?
- Can the viewer trace movement between openings without crossing the focal feature?
What the image cannot establish
- The courtyard is invented; daylight duration, ventilation and dimensions are not established.
- Planting beside walls does not verify roots, damp protection, drainage or foundations.
Questions about this workflow
Will it keep the same courtyard in another image?
Not reliably. Text concepts can change wall geometry and opening locations between generations.
Can I use an existing courtyard photo?
Choose courtyard design for source-based exploration.
Does the entry apply courtyard defaults?
No. Describe open-air enclosure and the focal arrangement in the general workspace.
Can it predict whether plants will thrive?
No. Local light, soil, drainage and species selection need independent assessment.
Bring your own brief
Take a direction into the workspace, adapt it to your project and compare the result against your real constraints.