5 Ways Materials Turn Third Spaces into AI-Proof Learning Environments
Education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.
In Gensler’s 2026 Design Forecast, one statement stands out:
“Campuses must do what AI can’t: foster collaboration, community, and creativity… Third spaces prioritize hands-on, project-based, and team-driven work, and underscore the social experience of learning.”
These “third spaces”—the environments outside traditional classrooms and formal learning zones—are becoming essential infrastructure for next-generation education.
Oregon State University Gladys Marine Building, Kirei Custom PET Tiles
What Are Third Spaces?
In the education context, “third spaces” refer to the areas that sit between home (the first space) and the classroom (the second space). They include:
- Libraries
- Incubation labs and innovation hubs
- Makerspaces
- Collaborative lounges
- Group study areas
- Student life hubs
- Transition zones and corridors that double as meeting places
These are the in-between environments where students gather, explore, experiment, socialize, and solve problems together. They’re flexible, cross-disciplinary, and designed to spark curiosity.
Why They Matter
As AI becomes more embedded in academics, the role of physical space becomes more human-centered.
According to Gensler, “Primary educators are contending with AI, so they’re looking for spaces that foster in-person collaboration and community.” These immersive, interactive environments:
- Encourage peer-to-peer learning
- Reduce academic stress through beauty, comfort, and sensory support
- Make interdisciplinary learning feel intuitive
- Support neurodiverse learners through tactile and acoustic cues
- Strengthen the social fabric of campuses—a critical factor in student wellbeing and retention
Designing for these spaces isn’t optional anymore. It’s a differentiator.
©Sarah Mechling, NYU Bobst Avery Fisher Center, Xorel Artform Waveline
How Materials Shape Third Spaces
Designing effective third spaces requires more than furniture layouts and flexible programming. The materials chosen for walls, seating, and acoustic surfaces directly influence how students feel, collaborate, and engage within them. Below are five material considerations designers should prioritize.
1. Durability That Withstands Constant Use
Third spaces invite movement. They flex from study lounges to club meetings to group huddles—and need materials that can keep up without looking worn or dated.
High-performance woven solutions like Xorel® wallcovering excel in these conditions. Because Xorel’s performance is engineered into the yarn—not applied as a finish—it resists abrasion, stains, and daily wear in a way that preserves both beauty and function. Its long lifecycle also means fewer replacements and a lower total cost of ownership, a key factor for education designers working within tight budgets.
2. Acoustic Performance That Supports Focus and Collaboration
Third spaces must strike a delicate balance: energetic enough to feel social, but controlled enough to support concentration. Materiality is often the key to achieving that equilibrium.
Solutions like Xorel Artform® and Kirei help designers fine-tune sound across open commons, study alcoves, and makerspaces. Sculptural wall tiles, ceiling-suspended baffles and floating acoustic clouds help dampen reverberation while adding visual rhythm and dimension to the space. When sound is managed well, students stay longer, engage more deeply, and feel more connected.
3. Sensory Richness That Encourages Comfort and Creativity
The most successful third spaces aren’t sterile—they’re sensorial. Texture, pattern, and tactility help students feel grounded, especially in high-stimulus environments.
Carnegie’s upholstery portfolio brings warmth and touchability to soft seating areas, from reading lounges to active learning zones. Performance velvets, boucle-inspired weaves, and nature-influenced patterns like Botanic Print add depth and comfort while remaining bleach-cleanable and inherently durable. This sensory richness supports neurodiverse learners, reduces stress, and quietly boosts creativity.
4. Cleanability and Practicality for High-Traffic Spaces
Designers know that real-world education environments must look great on day 1—and day 1,001. Cleanability and hygiene are essential, especially in areas with continuous student traffic.
Materials like Xorel offer easy maintenance with nothing more than water, bleach, or gentle cleaners—no coatings or finishes that degrade over time. Coated upholstery options within Carnegie’s portfolio also maintain their beauty under heavy use without sacrificing hand or aesthetic quality. Cleanability ensures spaces stay welcoming, not worn.
5. Healthier Materials That Support Student Wellbeing
As campuses rethink their role amid AI-driven change, wellness becomes a core design priority. Students spend long hours in these third spaces, so material transparency and healthy chemistry are non-negotiable.
Carnegie’s PVC-free, PFAS-free, Red List Free materials—such as Xorel and our full suite of high performance vinyl-alternative wallcoverings—allow designers to meet stringent sustainability and wellness criteria without trade-offs in performance. These choices quietly reinforce trust, safety, and long-term stewardship in environments dedicated to human growth.
© Jeffrey Totaro, Rutgers Newark Dana Library, Xorel Meteor Wallcovering
Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can’t
Campuses are now being asked to provide what AI cannot: connection, community, creativity, and the social experience of learning. Third spaces—libraries, incubators, makerspaces, lounges, hybrid learning hubs—are becoming the heart of that mission.
The materials chosen for these environments are not superficial decisions. They shape:
- How students gather
- How they collaborate
- How they feel
- How they create
- How they connect as human beings
Carnegie’s designer-first, sustainably engineered materials give you the toolkit to build third spaces that are durable, beautiful, acoustically balanced, and fundamentally human.
About the Author
Michelle Ko is the Marketing Manager for Carnegie with more than a decade of experience shaping narratives within the design industry. Drawing on her background as a textile designer, she brings hands-on expertise in researching and developing innovative materials, including Xorel. Her passion lies in storytelling, education, and collaboration—uncovering the deeper truths behind trends and innovations, and exploring not only what captivates us, but why.
