mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

UniLayDiff: A Unified Diffusion Transformer for Content-Aware Layout Generation

arXiv 2512.08897 ↗First posted 9 Dec 2025cs.CVcited by 0

On the map: Diffusion models → Image generation, text-to-image and editing

Abstract (arXiv)

Content-aware layout generation is a critical task in graphic design automation, focused on creating visually appealing arrangements of elements that seamlessly blend with a given background image. The variety of real-world applications makes it highly challenging to develop a single model capable of unifying the diverse range of input-constrained generation sub-tasks, such as those conditioned by element types, sizes, or their relationships. Current methods either address only a subset of these tasks or necessitate separate model parameters for different conditions, failing to offer a truly unified solution. In this paper, we propose UniLayDiff: a Unified Diffusion Transformer, that for the first time, addresses various content-aware layout generation tasks with a single, end-to-end trainable model. Specifically, we treat layout constraints as a distinct modality and employ Multi-Modal Diffusion Transformer framework to capture the complex interplay between the background image, layout elements, and diverse constraints. Moreover, we integrate relation constraints through fine-tuning the model with LoRA after pretraining the model on other tasks. Such a schema not only achieves unified conditional generation but also enhances overall layout quality. Extensive experiments demonstrate that UniLayDiff achieves state-of-the-art performance across from unconditional to various conditional generation tasks and, to the best of our knowledge, is the first model to unify the full range of content-aware layout generation tasks.

Key facts. No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026). Placed in Image generation, text-to-image and editing, one of 14 directions in Diffusion models. Builds on 35 of its 50 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 9 Dec 2025.

Builds on

35 of 50 references.

Closest ancestors · 9

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2024CreatiLayout: Siamese Multimodal Diffusion Transformer for Creative Layout-to-Image Generation5 Dec
  2. 2024In-Context LoRA for Diffusion Transformers31 Oct
  3. 2024LayoutDiT: Exploring Content-Graphic Balance in Layout Generation with Diffusion Transformer21 Jul
  4. 2024LayoutFlow: Flow Matching for Layout Generation27 Mar
  5. 2024Playground v2.5: Three Insights towards Enhancing Aesthetic Quality in Text-to-Image Generation27 Feb
  6. 2024Towards Aligned Layout Generation via Diffusion Model with Aesthetic Constraints7 Feb
  7. 2023Relation-Aware Diffusion Model for Controllable Poster Layout Generation15 Jun
  8. 2023LayoutDM: Discrete Diffusion Model for Controllable Layout Generation14 Mar
  9. 2023Unifying Layout Generation with a Decoupled Diffusion Model9 Mar

Other references · 26

  1. 2020An Image is Worth 16x16 Words: Transformers for Image Recognition at Scalecited by 30,186
  2. 2020Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Modelscited by 21,076
  3. 2019Exploring the Limits of Transfer Learning with a Unified Text-to-Text Transformercited by 14,599
  4. 2022Scalable Diffusion Models with Transformerscited by 6,054
  5. 2024Scaling Rectified Flow Transformers for High-Resolution Image Synthesiscited by 4,181
  6. 2019LayoutGAN: Generating Graphic Layouts with Wireframe Discriminatorscited by 131
  7. 2020LayoutTransformer: Layout Generation and Completion with Self-attentioncited by 123
  8. 2019LayoutVAE: Stochastic Scene Layout Generation From a Label Setcited by 119
  9. 2025EasyControl: Adding Efficient and Flexible Control for Diffusion Transformercited by 119
  10. 2022Highly Accurate Dichotomous Image Segmentationcited by 110
  11. 2021CanvasVAE: Learning to Generate Vector Graphic Documentscited by 95
  12. 2021Constrained Graphic Layout Generation via Latent Optimizationcited by 83
14 more
  1. 2020Attribute-conditioned Layout GAN for Automatic Graphic Designcited by 68
  2. 2023PosterLayout: A New Benchmark and Approach for Content-aware Visual-Textual Presentation Layoutcited by 61
  3. 2022Composition-aware Graphic Layout GAN for Visual-textual Presentation Designscited by 59
  4. 2023LayoutPrompter: Awaken the Design Ability of Large Language Modelscited by 48
  5. 2024OmniFlow: Any-to-Any Generation with Multi-Modal Rectified Flowscited by 46
  6. 2022LayoutFormer++: Conditional Graphic Layout Generation via Constraint Serialization and Decoding Space Restrictioncited by 43
  7. 2025POSTA: A Go-to Framework for Customized Artistic Poster Generationcited by 36
  8. 2023Retrieval-Augmented Layout Transformer for Content-Aware Layout Generationcited by 35
  9. 2024PosterLlama: Bridging Design Ability of Langauge Model to Contents-Aware Layout Generationcited by 35
  10. 2022Geometry Aligned Variational Transformer for Image-conditioned Layout Generationcited by 33
  11. 2024LaVin-DiT: Large Vision Diffusion Transformercited by 21
  12. 2025PosterO: Structuring Layout Trees to Enable Language Models in Generalized Content-Aware Layout Generationcited by 16
  13. 2023Unsupervised Domain Adaption with Pixel-level Discriminator for Image-aware Layout Generationcited by 13
  14. 2025Scan-and-Print: Patch-level Data Summarization and Augmentation for Content-aware Layout Generation in Poster Designcited by 2

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Close in wording, no citation either way

  1. 2023DLT: Conditioned layout generation with Joint Discrete-Continuous Diffusion Layout Transformer
  2. 2025CreatiDesign: A Unified Multi-Conditional Diffusion Transformer for Creative Graphic Design
  3. 2023LayoutDM: Transformer-based Diffusion Model for Layout Generation
  4. 2026Mise-en-Sc`ene: Implicit Layout Emergence in Diffusion Transformers for Human-AI Design Co-Creation
  5. 2023LayoutDiffusion: Improving Graphic Layout Generation by Discrete Diffusion Probabilistic Models
  6. 2026iPoster: Content-Aware Layout Generation for Interactive Poster Design via Graph-Enhanced Diffusion Models
  7. 2025LAMIC: Layout-Aware Multi-Image Composition via Scalability of Multimodal Diffusion Transformer
  8. 2026Learning Interaction between Image and Layout Priors for Joint Image-Layout Generation in Design Templates