A Study on the Aesthetic Tendency of the YZ Generation in China Toward the Façade Design of Coffee Shop Buildings

The number of coffee shops in China is rapidly increasing, and they are becoming a gathering place for young people. In order to enhance their competitiveness, the design of coffee shops has become the core force of competition. To clarify the preferences of young people for coffee shop design, this study takes the most intuitive exposure of consumers to building façades as the starting point. Based on the façade model in the previous research, the façade model was reconstructed through expert group discussions. In total, 80 out of 490 design cases were selected and combined with the reconstructed façade model to construct a questionnaire. Then, a questionnaire survey was conducted on 595 Chinese YZ generation members. The results of the classification summary and post hoc multiple comparison analysis showed that façade design was considered an important factor affecting their choices, and if the façade design met their aesthetic preferences, they would visit the store again. In addition, the aesthetic preferences of the YZ generation for coffee shop façade design, including different façade shapes, contours, visual forms, functional forms, decorative material types, textures, tones, brightness, and color matching methods, are consistent. They prefer the modernist style and pursue more visually stimulating exterior design, and this preference does not differ in terms of generational and gender differences. The differences in aesthetic standards for façades are more reflected in income levels. The YZ generation gave a “like” rating to all façade model contents and cases, but their aesthetic differences in different façade models can still be seen through specific numerical differences.