Core philosophy

Residential Architect, April, 2004 by S. Claire Conroy

not everyone is made of Microsoft money, but quite a few people would like to live in a house designed by Bill Gates' architect, Jim Cutler. Now that Cutler Anderson of Bainbridge, Wash., has teamed with Seattle-based Lindal Cedar Homes, Gates no longer has that monopoly. "We get calls all the time asking if our plans are for sale," says principal Bruce Anderson. "So when Lindal approached us two years ago, we thought it was an opportunity to broaden our reach."

Cutler Anderson welcomed the chance to help invigorate the family owned company's portfolio, which dots the firm's scenic backyard. And Lindal, whose focus groups cited the firm's work as a favorite, was eager to offer something more sophisticated to its high-end customers. Thus was born the "Reflection Home Series," two mix-and-match house plans patterned after several much-loved Cutler Anderson buildings.

Because Lindal is a kit-home company, customers must choose the plan, buy the materials, and build the house through their local Lindal dealer. The first prototype build is under way in St. Louis, Mo., so soup-to-nuts costs for the houses are still a bit sketchy. "We expect the houses to be slightly more expensive than our others," says Jeff Caden, Lindal's vice president of marketing. "We think they'll turnkey at about $200 a square foot." They'll also need little finish work on site, says Anderson, as much of the detailing is built into the structure of the post-and-beam houses. In fact, the firm worked closely with Lindal to adapt the company's kit of parts to mimic more expensive custom details.

Cutler Anderson is known for beautifully crafted houses that weave seamlessly into their sites. Anderson hopes the Reflection series will mirror that objective. The highly adaptable plans are designed around a central core and wings, allowing the houses to fit into sites of varying topography and to expand gracefully over the years. Says Anderson, "They are site-specific plans for houses without a specific site." For more about the houses, see http://www.lindal. com/reflection/index.cfm.