Alphabet Soup team members include (from left): Ryan Metz, Antonella Verderosa, Samuel Franck Nde Tene, Ben Alling, Zach Sanzo, Luke Ferland, Katerina Skiadas, Jobin George, Kevin Bruno, Dominic Tetro, and Nicholas Zangiacomi.

Launched in 1943, the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid fought in several major battles throughout World War II. In later years, it participated in the Vietnam War and served as a recovery vessel for NASA’s Mercury and Gemini missions.



Physical (above) and 3-D models (below) of the student designs were created to facilitate the presentation of the winning design.

A three-month-long competition among 12 NYIT student teams came to a close on Dec. 7 when a panel of judges chose the winning design of an energy-efficient hangar for the historic USS Intrepid.

The winners—an interdisciplinary group of 11 students from NYIT’s architecture, engineering, health care, and education programs— earned $3,000 and the honor of creating a permanent addition to the distinguished aircraft carrier, which was launched in 1943.

“We are extremely happy that the design is to become a piece of history on the USS Intrepid,” said senior Luke Ferland, one of the members of the winning team, Alphabet Soup. “Each member not only brought a different academic discipline to the process but also a unique voice and life experience that enabled us to strike a balance among architecture, engineering, and sustainability.”

The winning design, chosen by representatives of NYIT and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, includes five descending tiers representing the five kamikaze attacks the vessel sustained throughout World War II. Working within a maximum projected budget of $1 million for materials and construction, the students’ design also features steel and glass structures that incorporate renewable energy through wind turbines and solar panels. In addition, the plan includes spaces to accommodate aircraft restoration, educational areas, and rental projects.

“Every team presented fabulous designs,” said Susan Maranoff, executive director of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. “This competition profoundly embodied our mission to educate and inspire, and we truly have inspired each other.”

In January 2011, the students will work with museum staff and consultants to formulate their designs into detailed construction plans. “Partnerships like this are an opportunity to enrich our students’ classroom experience and theoretical knowledge with real-world problems,” said Nada Anid, Ph.D., dean of NYIT’s School of Engineering and Computing Sciences. “Through this competition, students worked with teammates toward specific design goals, while incorporating input from engineers and experts from the Intrepid museum.”

The competition was sponsored by Ted Moudis Associates Architecture and Design as well as the Long Island Forum for Technology.

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