While at one level, navigation and media, layout is tied to the site's paradigm, at another level, the aesthetic, it transcends paradigm.
Navigational layout is crucial, especially if the site makes extensive use of hypertext links. For example, it is quite easy in a complex web of hypertext for a user to become lost and disoriented; therefore having each page contain a link to the main page and to every page that linked to it is good navigational layout. Good navigational layout contributes to the overall feel of the site.
The feel of the navigation is, in many ways dependent on the paradigm. Print-based sites will have a linear, hierarchical navigational layout, true hypertext and hypermedia sites will have a nonlinear web navigational layout.
Media layout issues include the appropriateness of the media for the information to be conveyed. Is the media the most effective means to convey the information? How much bandwidth is the media file using? Too often I've accessed sites that seem designed for T1 connections, not 14.4 modems. Good media layout is to keep files as small as possible without sacrificing effectiveness. Remember, there are people who pay for their time by the hour.
The aesthetics of the site is also crucial. A site may be breaking ground with its paradigm, but if its aesthetics are poor users will soon lose interest. The aesthetics, transcend the paradigm, focusing on page layout, the quality of the content, and the overall look and feel of the site.
Click here for examples of good layout.