STAR-CHITECT

Scott + Cooner hosted the Dallas Architectural Forum last week at the DMA with guest speaker James Cutler, famous now for designing a tiny little $50m compound in Washington state for Bill and Melinda Gates. But, for architectural advocates, he is known for being a true environmentalist, his web site www.cutler-anderson.com is a picture book of architectural gems in lush landscapes.

The Gates’ home is built almost entirely from used timbers from an abandoned lumber yard. Cutler’s emphasis is on sustainable construction, landscape preservation, and keeping refuse to a minimum on construction sites. Must have been quite a feat with the Gates compound. And how great is it that the Gates’ great philanthropic endeavors ( they, along with Bono, just received Time’s Persons of the Year award), extends to their own land. So, which is it–being really, really rich makes you a good guy, or being a good guy makes you really, really rich? A question for the ages.