URP Launches First Design + AI Hackathon on Transformable Multifunctional Furniture

The Universidad Ricardo Palma will hold its first Hackathon Diseño + IA URP 2026 on Friday, October 9, 2026, an intensive day in which students and graduates will work in multidisciplinary teams to propose multifunctional, transformable furniture addressing a real need. The event is organized by the Research Unit of the Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo together with the Oficina Central de Seguimiento del Egresado y Empleabilidad (OCSEE), and is sponsored by the Colegio de Arquitectos del Perú - Región Lima. Participants must identify a problem and a user, explore alternatives, develop a 3D model, and present a communicable, potentially manufacturable solution, integrating knowledge from architecture, engineering, design, and technology. Artificial intelligence will support research, ideation, visualization, and communication of the proposals, while participants are required to justify their decisions and explain the process followed. Technical direction is led by architect Jennifer Durand, a URP graduate and professional at Zaha Hadid Architects, who will share her experience in emerging technologies applied to architecture in person. Applications are open, as announced on October 5, 2026.