> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://xfigura.gitbook.io/xfigura-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://xfigura.gitbook.io/xfigura-docs/getting-started/prompting-101.md).
# Prompting 101
How to prompt your workflows
#### What is a prompt?
A prompt is the text instruction you give to an AI model. It is the model's only source of design intent. You can either use text to prompt a model from scratch, or you can upload a source image and describe how to transform it.
The model responds to the following:
* structured intent: the model reads your prompt like a hierarchy of instructions
* specificity: every detail you add is one less decision the AI makes on its own
* word order: earlier words carry more weight than later ones
* what you don't say - anything missing is filled in randomly by the model
## **Core Structure of Reliable Prompting**
* Subject (building, space, or environment (ex. museum, housing tower, plaza))
* Design Language (style, materiality, lighting, atmosphere (ex. brutalist concrete, parametric glass facade, golden hour))
* Technical Specs (perspective, camera angle, medium (ex. aerial view, wide shot, watercolor rendering))
Example: *Modular concrete tower with stacked volumes* + *brutalist concrete, vertical wooden louvers, integrated greenery* + *Warm interior lighting, street-level perspective at dusk, high-resolution render.*
{% columns %}
{% column %}
Final Prompt: *Modular concrete tower with stacked volumes, brutalist concrete, vertical wooden louvers, integrated greenery, warm interior lighting, street-level perspective at dusk, high-resolution render.*
{% endcolumn %}
{% column %}
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}
{% columns %}
{% column %}
cinematic shot
drone shot
{% endcolumn %}
{% column %}
50 mm lens
long exposure
{% endcolumn %}
{% column %}
artistic photo
dslr
{% endcolumn %}
{% column %}
wide angle
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}
## **The Geometry Lock Block**
If geometry changes, your prompt allowed it.\
Paste this block into every architecture prompt.
*Preserve the original architectural geometry exactly.*\
*Do not change walls, openings, ceiling heights, proportions, camera position, or spatial layout.*\
*No redesign, no deformation, no added or removed architectural elements.*\
*Only refine materials, lighting, atmosphere, and realism.*
When you still see drift — add these:
* Lock Camera: “Keep the exact camera lens and perspective.”
* Lock furniture: “Do not move furniture or objects.”
* Lock facade rhythm: “Do not move any element on the facade.”
* Name specifics: “Keep all 6 floors, the L-shaped footprint, the cantilevered east volume.”
## **Quick Edits : Change Only One Thing**
The pattern: “Edit only X” plus “everything else unchanged.” This gives you surgical control over individual elements.
Example of common use case:
## **Multi-Image Referencing**
Upload multiple images and tell the AI what role each one plays. This is how you get precise control over building, materials, style, and site in one generation.
#### 2-image prompt — building + material
“Use Image 1 as the base building. Keep its geometry, proportions, and camera angle exactly the same. Apply the facade material from Image 2 to the upper floors. Keep the ground floor as board-formed concrete.”
#### 4-image prompt — full composite
“Image 1 is the building. Keep exact geometry. Use Image 2 for the facade material. Match the mood and lighting from Image 3. Place the building onto the site shown in Image 4, matching perspective and shadow direction.”
## **Google Earth + Massing Model**
Place your design into a real site context using Google Earth screenshots. Perfect for early pursuits, landscape projects, and site studies.
#### Example — site insert
“Image 1 is the site photo. Image 2 is the planting reference. Add the native planting palette from Image 2 to the landscape areas visible in Image 1. Keep all existing buildings and hardscape unchanged. Match the season and light.”
#### Example — massing study
“Image 1 is the site context. Generate a 6-story mixed-use building on the empty corner lot, matching the brick and limestone materiality of neighboring buildings. Street-level view, 35mm, overcast daylight.”
## **Re-render & Material Swap**
Your most common workflow: take an existing render or model screenshot and transform the materials, lighting, or mood.
#### Iteration 1 — material change
“Keep all geometry identical. Change the facade from painted stucco to weathered zinc standing-seam cladding with visible joints. Keep window positions and floor lines.”
#### Iteration 2 — lighting change
“Keep everything from the previous edit. Change the time of day to late afternoon golden hour, sun from the southwest. Add long shadows across the plaza.”
## Merging Style + Material References
Combine your design with precedent photos to transfer a specific look without losing your building’s identity.
Three ways to use references:
#### Example — Material transfer
“Apply the facade material from Image 2 to the upper floors of the building in Image 1.”
#### Example — Mood/ lighting transfer
“Match the lighting, atmosphere, and color grading from Image 2.”
#### Example — Full style transfer
“Keep my building’s geometry, but render it in the architectural style and materiality shown in Image 2.”
## The Negative Block & Common Failure
Append this block to prevent stylization and artifacts. Also know what causes common failures so you can fix them.
#### Negative block — append to most prompts
* No redesign.
* No warped geometry.
* No changing camera perspective.
* No painterly style.
* No exaggerated cinematic effects.
* No heavy fog or smoke.
* No grain or noise.
#### When exteriors look too movie-like
Add these terms\
“architectural photography”\
“controlled perspective”\
“neutral lens”\
“physically accurate sunlight”
Remove these words\
“cinematic”\
“dramatic”\
“epic”\
“film still”\
“moody”
#### Common failure modes — diagnosis and fix
Geometry drift
Cause: Camera or layout not locked. Fix: Add the Geometry Lock Block. Specify floor count, plan shape, and key features.
Over-cinematic look
Cause: Using words like “dramatic” or “cinematic” Fix: Add “architectural photography, controlled perspective, neutral lens.”
## Nano Banana Pro - Tips
Tested workflows that save time and produce better results. These are the habits that separate quick experiments from client-ready imagery.
#### Break complex edits into stages
Do not change material, lighting, and context in one prompt. Chain edits: material → lighting → context → final polish. Each step builds on the last.
#### Start with high-resolution source images
The quality of your input controls the output. Export at 2x or higher resolution from SketchUp or Enscape. Blurry inputs produce blurry results.
#### Always add lighting constraints
Include lighting in every prompt, even for material changes. Example: “match warm late-afternoon light; maintain soft directional shadows.” This prevents mood resets.
#### Use the Pro
Regular mode is fast for exploration. Switch to Pro for presentation images. It reasons through the prompt before generating and improves accuracy.
#### One variable per pass
When iterating, change only one thing at a time. If the result is wrong, you know exactly what caused it.
#### Natural language beats keyword spam
Write prompts like a creative brief: “weathered cedar slats with visible grain catching late-afternoon raking light” instead of “4k masterpiece trending realistic ultra HD.”
