If in 2026 you are enrolled in the 2nd or 3rd year of Upper Secondary Education (EMS) at a public or private institution in Uruguay, or the equivalent technical high school program at UTU, you can participate in the Spaghetti Challenge (individually or in pairs).
The challenge is to building a spaghetti structure capable of supporting the weight of several bricks as efficiently as possible.
Key Facts About the Contest
- Call for Applications: 2nd- and 3rd-year EMS students or those in the equivalent of a technical high school program at UTU.
- Participation: individually or in pairs.
- Registration: until Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 11:59 p.m..
- Presentation of the papers: Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., at the School of Architecture of the National University of the City of Buenos Aires ( Universidad ORT Uruguay ) (Bulevar España 2633).
- Awards: scholarships of up to 80% to pursue a degree in Architecture or a Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design, and scholarships covering 100% for the Architectural Projects with BIM Methodology course, depending on the ranking achieved.
- Endurance Test: Thursday, October 29, 2026.
- Results: Friday, October 30, 2026, on the contest website.
Visit the Spaghetti Challenge 2026 contest page
Purpose of the Spaghetti Challenge
The goal of the Spaghetti Challenge is to learn and apply the concept of structural efficiency.
The proposal involves building a structure capable of supporting the weight of several bricks, at a minimum of 40 cm above its support base, as efficiently as possible.
Efficiency is determined by the ratio of the structure's dead weight to the maximum load it can support.
Awards
- First place: a scholarship worth 80% scholarship for each member to pursue a Architecture program or the Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design. In addition, each member will receive a 100% scholarshipfor the course “Architectural Projects Using BIM Methodology.”
- Second place: a scholarship of 50% scholarship for each student to pursue one of those two degree programs and a 100% for the Architectural Projects Using BIM Methodologycourse.
- Third place: a scholarship worth 100% scholarship for each participant to study Architecture Projects Using BIM Methodology.
The guidelines also provide for a 50% scholarship for the teacher who nominates the winning student, to pursue a certificate of their choice from the academic offerings of the Institute of Education at the Universidad ORT Uruguay.
- You might also be interested in reading: “Meet the winners of the 2025 Spaghetti Challenge”
Participation and Conditions
Participants may enter individual or in pairs. In addition, a faculty member may mentor a student or team, and a single faculty member may represent one or more students or teams.
Minors must submit authorization from a legal representative—a parent or guardian.
Immediate family members of faculty members at the School of Architecture at the University of the Andes ( Universidad ORT Uruguay), as well as their close relatives, are ineligible to participate. Winners must also not have completed any other short-term or university-level programs at the University of the Andes ( Universidad ORT Uruguay).
Structural Materials and Requirements
To prepare this dish, use dry pasta with a hollow, circular cross-section measuring approximately 2.6 mm in diameter, such as Bucatini, and instant glue. Glues that require mixing components from separate containers may not be used.
The structure must rest on, but not be attached to, a rigid base measuring 40 cm × 40 cm to ensure it can be transported safely. The materials must be presented in their natural state, without any additional surface treatment.
In addition, the structure may not weigh more than 250 grams. Entries that exceed this weight will not be eligible to compete.
Presentation and Stress Test
Entries must be submitted on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., at the School of Architecture of the Universidad ORT Uruguay, located at 2633 Bulevar España. Each participant must present their ID card.
Teams must report to the door of their assigned room with their setup. There will be up to 15-minute grace period; once that time has elapsed, no further entries will be accepted.
The tests will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. During the event, students must remain on campus and will be responsible for transporting, weighing, and adding loads to their structure, under the supervision of the judging panel.
Assessment criteria
The most efficient structure will be the winner—that is, the one with the best ratio between its own weight and the weight it supports.
The jury will oversee the weighing—the structure is weighed without its base—and the gradual application of load until it breaks or tips over.
About the Use of the Scholarship
Winners who, in 2026, will be enrolled in their 3rd year of high school in 2026 will be able to use their scholarship until the start of the academic year in March 2027. Those enrolled in the 2nd year of high school may use it until the start of the academic term in March 2028.