Architectural Prompting: View a rough 3D model in Nano Banana

For this test I started from a very simple SketchUp model, almost a “skeleton” of the project: a glass tower with few details and materials. A perfect starting point for testing Nano Banana’s ability to interpret and enrich a scene starting from minimal geometries.

The first step was to export a still shot of the model in image format (without backgrounds or editing) and then ask Nano Banana to edit the image in a realistic way by inserting this building into a contemporary waterfront context.

After checking the fidelity of the first output, I wanted to push the test a little further. In this second request I wanted to completely change the framing with a change of cladding materials, asking Nano Banana for a perspective shot from bottom to top, capable of enhancing the verticality and shape of the building.

Phase 3 – Top view test with references

For the third test I wanted to change the view further, opting for a bird’s eye view.
In this case, to maintain greater visual coherence, I exported a new top view of my SketchUp model, keeping the building rendered in the first phase as a visual reference. With the aim of maintaining formal and stylistic fidelity even from a new angle.

The result in this case too is very interesting: recognizability of the shape, consistency of the environment, continuity in the materials and vegetation. Again, a great example of how AI can be guided through strategic references and a well-constructed prompt.

I continued to produce tests following this same working structure. As you can see, you can easily get atmospheric or nocturnal variations on the same shot, but also new views, like the closer close-up above.

The most interesting thing? The output remains consistent both formally and stylistically, maintaining the building’s design and overall visual quality.

Conclusions

This experiment confirms once again the potential of tools like Nanobanana for the rapid and flexible visualization of architectural projects, even starting from simple or non-rendered models.

With a few targeted indications it is possible to obtain personalized settings, materials, light conditions and shots, with a design coherence that opens up new scenarios in the creative process.
Tools like this do not replace planning, but amplify it, offering new possibilities for storytelling, testing and visual communication. Until next time viewing!