Alden Dow House and Studio
Encyclopedia
Alden B. Dow House and Studio, also known as Alden B. Dow Home & Studio, in Midland, Michigan
, was the house
and studio
that were the residence and acknowledged masterpiece
of 20th century architect Alden B. Dow
. The quality and originality of his work, as well as his association with Frank Lloyd Wright
, have earned him lasting national recognition.
Dow built his home and studio between 1937 and 1940, using a patented system known as "Unit Blocks". The Unit Blocks, one foot square, were cast from recycled cinders from the Dow Chemical Company
. Dow used them to form walls and terraces, as well as ornamental elements such as stepping stones in the surrounding pond.
It was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1989.
The house is open to the public for tours.
Midland, Michigan
Midland is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan in the Tri-Cities region of the state. It is the county seat of Midland County. The city's population was 41,863 as of the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, was the house
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
and studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
that were the residence and acknowledged masterpiece
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
of 20th century architect Alden B. Dow
Alden B. Dow
Alden B. Dow was an American architect; he was the son of Herbert Henry Dow and Grace A. Dow. Dow is known for his prolific architectural design. His personal house in Midland, the Midland Center for the Arts, as well as the current building for the Grace A...
. The quality and originality of his work, as well as his association with Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
, have earned him lasting national recognition.
Dow built his home and studio between 1937 and 1940, using a patented system known as "Unit Blocks". The Unit Blocks, one foot square, were cast from recycled cinders from the Dow Chemical Company
Dow Chemical Company
The Dow Chemical Company is a multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. As of 2007, it is the second largest chemical manufacturer in the world by revenue and as of February 2009, the third-largest chemical company in the world by market capitalization .Dow...
. Dow used them to form walls and terraces, as well as ornamental elements such as stepping stones in the surrounding pond.
It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1989.
The house is open to the public for tours.