System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to generating depth estimates of an environment depicted in a monocular image. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to receiving the monocular image, processing the monocular image according to a depth model to generate a depth map. Processing the monocular images includes encoding the monocular image according to encoding layers of the depth model including iteratively encoding features of the monocular image to generate feature maps at successively refined representations using packing blocks within the encoding layers. Processing the monocular image further includes decoding the feature maps according to decoding layers of the depth model including iteratively decoding the features maps associated with separate ones of the packing blocks using unpacking blocks of the decoding layers to generate the depth map. The method includes providing the depth map as the depth estimates of objects represented in the monocular image.