Using deep learning to generate front and backyards in landscape architecture

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) engines in the design disciplines is a nascent field of research, which became very popular over the last decade. In particular, deep learning (DL) and related generative adversarial networks (GANs) proved to be very promising. While there are many research projects exploring AI in architecture and urban planning, e.g., in order to generate optimal floor layouts, massing models, evaluate image quality, etc., there are not many research projects in the area of landscape architecture - in particular the design of two-dimensional garden layouts. In this paper, we present our work using GANs to generate optimal front- and backyard layouts. We are exploring various GAN engines, e.g., DCGAN, that have been successfully used in other design disciplines. We used supervised and unsupervised learning utilizing a massive dataset of about 100,000 images of front- and backyard layouts, with qualitative and quantitative attributes, e.g., idea and beauty scores, as well as functional and structural evaluation scores. We present the results of our work, i.e., the generation of garden layouts, and their evaluation, and speculate on how this approach may help landscape architects in developing their designs. The outcome of the study may also be relevant to other design disciplines.