Plan Tiny Bridgehampton Office
Developers and contractors on the South Fork always want to build big — or so it is said. This time, however, Aman Developers, a general contracting company, plans a small, 225-square-foot, office building in the business center of Bridgehampton. They presented the idea to the Bridgehampton Citizens Advisory Committee on Monday.
Punit Chugh and Anjali Gupta recently moved their office from Southampton to a small white building at 2272 Montauk Highway, set back from the road and between Loaves and Fishes, a restaurant, inn, and retail shop, and the large commercial Newman building. They want more office space than the existing building affords and to showcase a custom-engineered, turn-key structure. They call it “Aman smart haus.” (Aman is a popular name meaning peace in Arabic languages.)
The structure is described as passive, with regard to a standard of energy efficiency that originated in Germany, because it depends on the sun for heating.
Working with Bill Chaleff, a Water Mill architect, the pair intend to put up a one-room building of only 15-by-15 square feet, while continuing to use the existing office. Meeting in the community room in the basement of the Bridgehampton National Bank, a space that is 30 by 45 feet, Mr. Chaleff said, “You could get six of them in this room.”
Although it will be a post-and-beam, timber-frame building, it will have a modern look. In comparison to conventional structures, it will require 86 percent less energy for heating and 46 percent less energy for cooling, according to Passive House Institute USA.
Its concrete, four-inch-thick floor will provide thermal storage that “enables the building to store extra heat taken in during daylight . . . through the south-facing large glass aperture and store the excess for slow release throughout the dark hours of the 24-hour day,” according to Mr. Chaleff.
Custom-engineered walls made in Germany are to be flown in and no plumbing or septic facilities would be incorporated. Those who use the office would instead walk to the existing office to get to the facilities. And, Mr. Chaleff said, the building would be completed within three days.
The developers and architect also said the building would actually not be considered permanent. “It could be taken out if we want to leave,” Mr. Chugh told the citizens group.
It will sit among an existing grove of trees on the east side of the existing parking lot. The building would be above ground level, with a reflecting pool about two feet wide proposed under it. Benches will be placed around it.
“It’s meant to be a welcoming place,” Mr. Chugh said, adding that the community would be welcome.
Noting the governmental application process, the developers asked the committee to send the Southampton Town Planning Board a letter of support. The committee voted to do so.
“It’s so tiny and so cute, and it doesn’t fit at all. I like it!” Jenice Delano said, commenting that the building adds balance without being intrusive.
Only one person in attendance, Jeff Mansfield, objected. He did not think the design fit into the hamlet’s Main Street. “I’m an old school traditionalist,” he said. “It’s just not my taste architecturally. He nevertheless wished the developers well and welcomed them to Bridgehampton.