Unity and Variety in Architecture: Investigation from Elements to Compositions in Aesthetic Preferences

Beyond utilitarian purpose, architecture possesses profound aesthetic value, serving not only as structures to inhabit but as spaces to be perceived, interpreted, and appreciated. Unity and variety are among the predictors that influence aesthetics, traditionally viewed as oppositional but jointly predictive of aesthetic preference. The present research investigates how unity and variety jointly predict aesthetic preference in the domain of Chinese carved windows and how these relationships change from isolated elements to window–background compositions. Two quasi-experimental studies were conducted. Study 1 asked participants to rate ten digitally rendered Chinese windows on unity, variety, and aesthetic preference. Study 2 used the same ten windows embedded in either a stylistically congruent Chinese background or an incongruent Western background. Across both studies (N = 797), results showed that unity and variety were negatively correlated yet both positively associated with aesthetic preference, with unity exerting the stronger predictive influence. The trade-off between unity and variety decreased once windows were placed in backgrounds, and stylistically incongruent Western backgrounds reliably suppressed perceived unity and inflated perceived variety. The findings are consistent with the Unity-in-Variety principle and highlight how architectural context influences unity–variety judgments. The studies provide strategies toward a more nuanced, architecture-specific understanding of unity and variety in aesthetic preference.