Why I Decided AI Should Assist Designers, Not Draw for Them

When it comes to artificial intelligence in creative professions, many imagine AI completely replacing humans, generating finished masterpieces. However, my many years of experience in landscape design and the journey of creating formspace.design led me to a completely different conclusion: AI should be a powerful tool in the hands of a designer, not a replacement. It is designed to amplify human talent, accelerate routine tasks, and expand creative horizons, leaving the most important aspects to humans—decision-making, vision, and the soul of the project.

My Journey in Landscape Design and First Encounters with Technology

My story with landscape design began in the late 90s when, with a background in physical education, experience in 90s business, and a passion for painting, I founded the company "Dom i Sad" (House and Garden). It was a journey from paper sketches and manual drawings to full-fledged site planning and cottage construction. I saw how tools changed: from pencil and ruler to AutoCAD, then to Revit and 3ds Max. Each new tool did not replace me as a designer but gave me new opportunities, accelerated work, and allowed me to realize ideas more precisely. It was always a process of assistance, expansion, but not replacement. And it was this principle that became the foundation for formspace.design, which I, Vladimir Vyborny, began developing at 61, learning to code with the help of AI itself.

Why 'Drawing for the Designer' is a Bad Path for AI

Imagine AI delivering a finished landscape project to you. It sounds tempting, but in practice, it doesn't work as effectively as it seems. The reason is simple: design is not just a picture; it's a deep understanding of context, client needs, site specifics, and even engineering solutions. Automatically generated designs often fail to consider:

• Real site conditions: slope, soil type, existing utilities, shaded areas, wind loads. For example, AI might 'plant' virtual trees that won't thrive in reality on a given soil type or will interfere with neighboring structures.
• Complex client wishes: individual preferences in style, functionality (e.g., a meditation spot, a play area for children of a specific age, a barbecue zone for 10 people), budget constraints.
• Regulatory requirements: setbacks from boundaries, fence heights, zoning rules. A typical error is a project that looks beautiful but fails approval due to non-compliance with these norms.
• The emotional component: AI cannot understand what feels "cozy," "harmonious," or "inspiring" to a client. These are subtle matters formed through dialogue, empathy, and the designer's experience.

When AI tries to draw "for" me, I get a beautiful but often unviable picture that I have to rework almost from scratch. This doesn't speed up the process; on the contrary, it slows it down, wasting time correcting absurdities.

Where AI is Truly Indispensable: Routine and Process Acceleration

My goal in creating formspace.design has always been for AI to take on the boring, routine, and time-consuming work, freeing the designer for creativity. Here's where AI excels:

1. Concept and idea generation: In the initial stage, when you need to quickly sketch several zoning options or stylistic solutions for a 15-acre plot, AI can propose 5-7 different approaches in a matter of minutes. This is a huge time saver compared to manual sketching.
2. Idea visualization: Rapid transformation of flat diagrams into 3D visualizations or photorealistic renders. This allows the client to "see" the future garden faster and make adjustments at early stages when they are not yet expensive.
3. Data analysis: AI can assist in analyzing site insolation, identifying areas with high humidity or, conversely, dryness, which is critically important for plant selection and drainage planning. For example, you can quickly determine that a 20 m² area near the house only gets morning sun and select appropriate shade-loving plants.
4. Automation of calculations: Calculation of material volumes, coverage areas, and the number of plants for a specific zone. This not only saves time but also reduces the risk of errors.
5. Variation creation: If a client wants to see the same element (e.g., a pergola or a pond) in different styles or materials, AI can quickly generate these variations, allowing for quick comparison and selection of the best option.

Examples of Effective Designer-AI Interaction

I am convinced that the future lies in a hybrid approach. Here are a few scenarios from my practice where AI becomes an indispensable assistant:

• First client meeting: Instead of drawing on a napkin, I can upload a simple site plan to formspace.design, mark the main zones, and, using AI, immediately show the client several basic zoning concepts. This is not a final project but a starting point for discussion. This significantly speeds up the sketching phase and helps to better understand the client's wishes. I discussed how this works in more detail in the article How to use AI for quick sketches at the first client meeting.
• Development of detailed elements: After approving the overall concept, I can use AI for elaboration on details. For example, I need 5 design options for a garden bench or 3 paving options for a 1.2-meter wide path. AI generates these options, and I choose the best one, refine it, and integrate it into the overall project.
• Seeking inspiration and stylistic solutions: When I encounter an unusual request, AI can suggest references and ideas that I might not have found on my own or would have spent much more time finding. It's like having an endless library of styles and elements at your fingertips.

The Difference Between an AI Tool and an AI Artist

The fundamental difference lies in who makes the final decision. An AI artist strives to create a finished work, but without understanding human experience, emotions, and context, it will only be a beautiful imitation. An AI tool, on the other hand, provides the designer with a palette, brushes, and canvases, but the artist remains at the helm. They choose colors, composition, and convey the mood.

My goal in creating formspace.design was precisely this: to give the designer a tool that expands their capabilities without taking away the most important thing – the right to creativity and decision-making. It's like comparing a hand saw to an electric saw. An electric saw is much faster and more efficient, but it doesn't decide what to cut or how it will look in the end. The decision is always with the human.

My Experience Creating formspace.design: AI as an Assistant

In creating formspace.design, I drew upon my many years of experience as a director at "Dom i Sad" and my understanding of the difficulties faced by landscape designers. I didn't have a staff of programmers, and at 61, I began learning to code with the help of AI. This journey showed me how powerful AI can be for solving practical problems if used as an assistant, not as a universal replacement. I lacked a tool that would automate routine tasks, allow quick experimentation with ideas, and effectively communicate with clients. These very pain points formed the basis of formspace.design. I have already discussed how approaches to programming and dialogue with AI have changed in the article What has changed in 20 years: from ordering a technical specification from a programmer to dialogue with AI. I am convinced that such a tool should be accessible to everyone who is ready to create, not just copy.

How to Plan with formspace.design Using AI Capabilities

Let's consider a specific scenario. You have a 12-acre plot, and you want to design a comfortable and functional garden on it. Here's how formspace.design, with the help of AI, can assist you in this process:

1. Starting with the Plan and Zoning (Module 1.x 'Plan/Zones/Objects'): You upload an existing site plan to formspace.design or draw it from scratch, indicating main dimensions and house placement. Then you define functional zones: for example, a 150 m² relaxation area, a 50 m² vegetable garden, a 30 m² children's playground, and an entrance group. You can outline these zones directly on the plan, and AI will help organize them, suggesting optimal shapes and sizes based on the total area and chosen style. For instance, AI might suggest that for harmonious perception, paths should be no narrower than 1.2 meters, and the central flowerbed should be proportional to the house size.
2. Generating Concepts with AI (Module 2.1 'AI Concept'): Once you have defined the main zones, AI can generate several options for their arrangement on the plot. You can set parameters: for example, "natural style" or "formal garden," "lots of water" or "minimal maintenance." AI will propose 3-5 different concepts for how these zones can be connected by paths, where to best place a pond considering insolation, or how to ensure privacy for the relaxation area from neighbors. You choose the most suitable concept, which serves as the basis for further detailing.
3. Detailing and Visualization (Module 3.1 'Design by Photo'): At this stage, with an overall concept in mind, you can use AI to visualize specific elements. For example, you want to see how natural stone paving will look on a path or what type of pergola would best suit the relaxation area. You upload a photo of the selected area or element, and AI offers design variations, allowing you to experiment with textures, colors, and shapes. This enables you to quickly assess how the finished result will look and make changes before construction begins.

Thus, formspace.design becomes your personal assistant, taking on routine tasks, offering options, and accelerating the process, but the final word, creative vision, and control always remain with you.

FAQ

Will AI replace landscape designers?

I believe not. AI is a powerful tool that automates routine tasks and accelerates the design process. It helps generate ideas, visualize concepts, and analyze data, but it cannot replace human empathy, creative vision, the ability to understand unique client needs, and adapt to unpredictable site conditions. The designer remains the chief architect and artist of the project.

Can I fully entrust site planning to AI?

Fully entrusting site planning to AI is impractical and even risky. AI cannot account for all nuances: complex engineering solutions, specifics of local legislation, or the client's personal emotional preferences. It can offer excellent ideas, but only an experienced designer can integrate them into a real, functional, and aesthetically complete project that will meet all requirements and expectations.

What data should be provided to AI for effective work?

For the most effective AI work in formspace.design, as much initial data as possible should be provided: an accurate site plan with dimensions, indication of cardinal directions, existing buildings and utilities, and elevation changes. The more detailed you describe your wishes for functional zones, style, and budget, the more relevant and useful concepts AI can generate.

How does AI help with client work?

AI significantly improves client communication. It allows for quickly generating several design options during initial meetings, which helps the client better articulate their wishes and see the site's potential. Rapid visualization of ideas and real-time adjustments make the design process more interactive and understandable for the client, reducing rework and misunderstandings.

Are special skills needed to work with AI in design?

Working with AI in formspace.design does not require programming skills or deep knowledge of artificial intelligence. The interface is designed to be intuitive for landscape designers and property owners. The main thing is your ability to clearly formulate tasks, analyze the options proposed by AI, and apply your creative thinking to refine and personalize projects.

What are the risks of using AI in landscape design?

The main risk lies in blindly trusting AI without critically evaluating its suggestions. AI can generate a visually appealing but impractical or unviable project that does not account for real conditions (e.g., lack of drainage, unsuitable plants for the climate). It's important to remember that AI is a tool, not the ultimate expert. Human verification and adaptation to real conditions are always required.

What is the main advantage of formspace.design over other AI tools?

The main advantage of formspace.design is that it was developed by a landscape designer for landscape designers. I personally went through the entire journey from manual drawings to complex 3D models and perfectly understand the industry's pain points and needs. formspace.design doesn't just generate images; it provides modules that integrate into the real workflow, helping to solve specific tasks—from zoning to detailing and visualization—while maintaining control and creative freedom for the user.

Ultimately, AI is not a threat to creative professions but an invaluable ally that allows us to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently. My journey with formspace.design is proof that by combining human experience and the potential of AI, we can achieve truly impressive results and create gardens that will bring joy for years to come. I invite you to join this journey and discover new possibilities in planning your site with formspace.design.