URP 2026 Design + AI Hackathon to Focus on Transformable Furniture

Universidad Ricardo Palma will host the first Design + AI Hackathon URP 2026 on Friday, 9 October 2026. According to the call for participation published on ArchDaily, students and graduates will work in multidisciplinary teams to develop concepts for multifunctional, transformable furniture that addresses a real need. The announcement describes the event as an intensive working session and says applications are open.

What’s the design focus?

The hackathon centers on furniture that can serve multiple purposes and be adapted to different uses. The announcement also sets out the goal of responding to a real-world need. This means the work is framed not only around form or visual presentation, but also around the question of what need the furniture addresses and how.

Participants will come together in teams from different disciplines. This structure offers a setting in which proposals can be explored from a range of perspectives. However, the announcement does not specify team size, judging criteria, required design deliverables, or whether prototypes will be expected. It is therefore not possible to say exactly how the results will be presented.

Who is organizing the event?

The event is organized by the Research Unit of Universidad Ricardo Palma’s Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism and the Office of Graduate Tracking and Employment (OCSEE). The sponsor is the Lima Regional Council of the Peruvian College of Architects. The announcement says the hackathon will be held at the university on 9 October, but does not provide a more specific venue.

Although “Design + AI” puts artificial intelligence in the event’s title, the announcement does not describe which tools will be used or whether AI will have a required role in the design process. It also provides no information about software, whether participants will be expected to follow a specific production method, or any licensing or hardware requirements. The ArchDaily announcement includes tags for parametric design and digital fabrication, but does not say these are mandatory technical deliverables.

What it means for architecture and visualization workflows

For students and graduates interested in furniture design, the call highlights the need to consider use cases and transformability together. Clearly outlining the need being addressed and how the furniture shifts between functions can make the brief easier to understand. This is a practical approach suggested by the stated design focus, not an announced judging criterion.

For architecture, interior design, and archviz teams, the event brings interdisciplinary ideation and problem-solving at the furniture scale into focus. However, the current announcement does not say whether participants will be asked to submit technical drawings, 3D models, visualizations, or physical prototypes. Those considering applying should confirm details such as registration requirements, submission format, tools to be used, and the event venue with the organizers. Until this information is available, it is not possible to say that any particular software, hardware, or production method is required.