The physical environment in which learning takes place has increasingly been recognized as an important factor influencing students' motivation, emotions, and academic performance. Contemporary approaches to the design of educational environments emphasize the need for evidence-based planning that considers students' experiences and learning preferences. The aim of this study was to identify the spatial characteristics that students perceive as contributing most significantly to productive learning and to examine how different design elements influence their perception of educational spaces. The research was conducted through a questionnaire administered to fifty students of the Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad. The survey investigated students' preferences regarding learning methods, spatial organization, environmental comfort, collaborative spaces, and architectural characteristics of learning environments. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods and interpretation of students' evaluations. The findings indicate that students consider individual learning to be the most productive learning approach, while learning during lectures received the lowest evaluation. Functional characteristics of learning environments, particularly ergonomic furniture, adequate thermal comfort, and appropriate equipment, were identified as the most influential factors affecting learning productivity. Conversely, decorative elements such as colors and interior aesthetics were found to have a considerably lower impact. Nevertheless, students expressed a clear preference for modern, well-lit, technologically equipped learning environments and recognized the value of dedicated spaces for relaxation and informal interaction as contributors to collaboration, knowledge exchange, and academic motivation. The results suggest that improvements to higher education learning environments should prioritize functionality, comfort, and adaptability rather than purely aesthetic interventions. The study contributes to the growing body of research supporting evidence-based design approaches in educational space design and provides practical guidelines for the planning and renovation of university learning spaces.