Traditional university learning spaces often lack the adaptability and multifunctionality required to support diverse educational needs in higher education. This study examines how low-cost, playful design interventions can transform these environments into vibrant spaces for creativity, collaboration, and learning. By integrating literature in playful design, educational psychology, and sustainable spatial transformation with reflexive insights from the author’s experience in a private higher education institution, the study identifies actionable strategies for redesigning learning spaces to balance teaching of creative and theoretical disciplines.

Key strategies include employing movable furniture, bold colour schemes, repurposed materials, and interactive installations, all designed to enhance engagement, curiosity, and well-being while supporting multifunctionality. Practical examples from the author’s institution, alongside case studies from desktop research, illustrate how these interventions address challenges related to inclusivity, collaboration, and resource constraints. Reflexivity highlights how the dual demands of creative practice and theoretical instruction inform flexible, context-sensitive solutions for higher education settings.

This paper ultimately proposes a practical framework for reimagining university learning spaces as adaptable catalysts for creativity and resilience. By leveraging playful, low-cost design approaches, higher education institutions can better meet the needs of diverse learners while promoting a sense of ownership and pride in their learning environments. This research advocates for a shift in how we perceive and design university spaces, emphasising the critical importance of playfulness, adaptability, and multifunctionality in resource-conscious educational contexts.

Keywords: Playful Design, Learning Space Transformation, Higher Education, Affordable Strategies, Multifunctional Spaces.