---
license: creativeml-openrail-m
language:
  - en
tags:
  - controlnet
  - stable-diffusion
  - urban-design
pipeline_tag: image-to-image
---

# Stepwise Generative Urban Design

ControlNet-based diffusion models for automatic urban design generation, conditioned on site constraints and text descriptions.

**Paper**: *Human-guided urban form generation using multimodal diffusion models*, Building and Environment, 2026 

[Full paper](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113892); [Arxiv](https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.24260); 
**Code & documentation**: [GitHub](https://github.com/Hemy17/Stepwise_GenerativeUrbanDesign)

## Models

Six checkpoints covering two cities × three pipeline steps:

| Checkpoint | City | Step |
|------------|------|------|
| `checkpoints_step1_nyc` | New York City | Site constraints → Land use + road network |
| `checkpoints_step1_chi` | Chicago | Site constraints → Land use + road network |
| `checkpoints_step2_nyc` | New York City | Land use + roads → Building footprint layout |
| `checkpoints_step2_chi` | Chicago | Land use + roads → Building footprint layout |
| `checkpoints_step3_nyc` | New York City | Building footprints → Satellite image |
| `checkpoints_step3_chi` | Chicago | Building footprints → Satellite image |

Fine-tuned from [`runwayml/stable-diffusion-v1-5`](https://huggingface.co/runwayml/stable-diffusion-v1-5) + ControlNet. Checkpoints are FP16, ~2.9 GB each.

## Citation

```bibtex
@article{he2025human,
  title   = {Human-guided urban form generation using multimodal diffusion models},
  author  = {He, Mingyi and Liang, Yuebing and Wang, Shenhao and Zheng, Yunhan
             and Wang, Qingyi and Zhuang, Dingyi and Tian, Li and Zhao, Jinhua},
  journal = {Building and Environment},
  pages   = {113892},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113892}
}

@article{he2025generative,
  title   = {Generative {AI} for urban design: a stepwise approach integrating
             human expertise with multimodal diffusion models},
  author  = {He, Mingyi and Liang, Yuebing and Wang, Shenhao and Zheng, Yunhan
             and Wang, Qingyi and Zhuang, Dingyi and Tian, Li and Zhao, Jinhua},
  journal = {arXiv preprint arXiv:2505.24260},
  year    = {2025}
}
```