Quentin Tarantino has talked about how he lives a relatively frugal lifestyle so he doesn't have to "take a job to pay for a new pool." For him, it's all about reaching artistically, every time out while being mindful of his oeuvre and not screwing up the body of work, as a whole.
Personally, I wouldn't mind if Tarantino did a bad Christmas movie and made a bundle, but I understand, as an artist, it would really bother him.
What architects, past or present, would most be like Tarantino in terms of wanting everything with their name on it to shine?