The principle of Unity-in-Variety is an age old idea of why something is considered to be perceptually beautiful. We like to perceive both variety, as it sustains our interest, while at the same time we also want to feel like we see a unified whole as it generates a sense of understanding.

While these aspects apply to many levels of perception, in design I look at how the usage of design features influences the preferred balance for both unity and variety. By changing features of a design (e.g. shape, color, texture, line etc…) a designer influences both the unity and the variety within  a design. Both are needed for a balanced and aesthetically pleasing product design and therefore it is important to know how this can be optimally achieved.

Many design principles can be used to influence unity and variety and this allows for experimental testing of how unity and variety relate to aesthetic appreciation. While the principle has been researched in several domains, for product designs they have not been combined. By first looking at the preferred visual aspects of unity and variety we aim to help designs in understanding how they can create a product that is aesthetically appreciated the most. We will then try to elaborate this principle to the field of tactile or haptic aesthetics as well.

 

Here you will find products/stimuli of which I consider there to be outstanding examples of striking the right balance between unity and variety.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Porca Miseria by Ingo Maurer (1994)

This lamp looks like an explosion of parts. It’s these individual parts, made out of broken cutlery and tableware, that create a wide variety of elements. Yet despite the explosive chaos of parts, the similarity in color, texture and center of gravity generates a unified whole.