The Penn Stater Magazine

Remembering (and Discovering) Architect Der Scutt

March 17, 2010 at 8:42 am Ryan Jones Leave a comment

A New York Times obituary yesterday informed us of the passing of Der Scutt ’54. Every once in a while — and too often it’s after they die — we hear about a prominent alumnus who we didn’t actually know was an alumnus. Scutt fits that bill: Records tell us he attended Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute (predecessor of Penn State Berks) and got a master’s at Yale before embarking on a career in architecture. And what a career it was.

Scutt is best known for his modernist designs of some prominent New York City skyscrapers, including the Grand Hyatt Hotel and Trump Tower (pictured), which, like its namesake, was undeniable if not exactly subtle. He led a pretty interesting life beyond his work; you can read the obit here. The Reading native was 75 and living in Manhattan when he died.

Ryan Jones, senior editor

Entry filed under: Famous Penn Staters. Tags: Der Scutt, Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York Times, Trump Tower.