This study explores the complex relationships among operational efficiency, digital infrastructure, institutional innovativeness, and aesthetic decorative design engineering in extended Chinese subway stations. Drawing data from 277 actively engaged design engineers and architects, the research employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to scrutinize these key variables. It uncovers that operational efficiency significantly shapes aesthetic design, highlighting its central role in crafting appealing subway stations. Digital infrastructure emerges as a powerful driver, enhancing the visual aspects through transformative digital technologies. Institutional innovativeness, while showing less direct influence, moderates the relationships between operational efficiency and digital infrastructure, underlining the significance of innovative governance in optimizing design outcomes. These findings hold significant implications for subway station development and urban planning, offering insights into the factors propelling aesthetic design. By acknowledging the importance of operational efficiency, digital infrastructure, and institutional innovativeness, this research furnishes a comprehensive framework to enhance the visual and experiential dimensions of subway stations, contributing to more vibrant and efficient urban transportation networks.