What if students in capstone design classes completed structural designs for real sites, interacted with a real client, and added value for future construction?

In undergraduate education, structural capstone designs are usually retrospective or invented, even when planned for a real site. Universities create competitive design climates, even incorporating virtual reality into capstone design courses. Some universities invite practitioners to judge the students’ design presentations. However, the projects are not constructed. The students know that the project will never be constructed: it is just about learning and, ultimately, a grade. …