# ReLayout: Integrating Relation Reasoning for Content-aware Layout Generation with Multi-modal Large Language Models

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.05568 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.05568/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in Spatial and embodied reasoning, one of 17 directions in LLM reasoning.
- Builds on 8 of its 43 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 8 Jul 2025.

## Placed in

- LLM reasoning / [Spatial and embodied reasoning](https://mlsanity.com/lr/spatial-and-embodied-reasoning/)
- Multimodal LLMs / vision-language models / [Document understanding and multimodal RAG](https://mlsanity.com/mllm/document-understanding-and-multimodal-rag/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 8 of 8)

- [GPT-4 Technical Report](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.08774/) (2023)
- [Auto-Encoding Variational Bayes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1312.6114/) (2013)
- [LLaVA-OneVision: Easy Visual Task Transfer](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.03326/) (2024)
- [Expanding Performance Boundaries of Open-Source Multimodal Models with Model, Data, and Test-Time Scaling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.05271/) (2024)
- [Gemini: A Family of Highly Capable Multimodal Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.11805/) (2023)
- [InternLM2 Technical Report](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.17297/) (2024)
- [LayoutGAN: Generating Graphic Layouts with Wireframe Discriminators](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1901.06767/) (2019)
- [Embedding-based Retrieval with LLM for Effective Agriculture Information Extracting from Unstructured Data](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.03107/) (2023)

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [LLMs as Layout Designers: Enhanced Spatial Reasoning for Content-Aware Layout Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.16891/) (2025)
- [DocReward: A Document Reward Model for Structuring and Stylizing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.11391/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Content-aware layout aims to arrange design elements appropriately on a given canvas to convey information effectively. Recently, the trend for this task has been to leverage large language models (LLMs) to generate layouts automatically, achieving remarkable performance. However, existing LLM-based methods fail to adequately interpret spatial relationships among visual themes and design elements, leading to structural and diverse problems in layout generation. To address this issue, we introduce ReLayout, a novel method that leverages relation-CoT to generate more reasonable and aesthetically coherent layouts by fundamentally originating from design concepts. Specifically, we enhance layout annotations by introducing explicit relation definitions, such as region, salient, and margin between elements, with the goal of decomposing the layout into smaller, structured, and recursive layouts, thereby enabling the generation of more structured layouts. Furthermore, based on these defined relationships, we introduce a layout prototype rebalance sampler, which defines layout prototype features across three dimensions and quantifies distinct layout styles. This sampler addresses uniformity issues in generation that arise from data bias in the prototype distribution balance process. Extensive experimental results verify that ReLayout outperforms baselines and can generate structural and diverse layouts that are more aligned with human aesthetics and more explainable.