The Whiting House

The physical structure known as the Center for Creativity & Enterprise (Whiting Home) is a creative and inspiring environment. The Center is a vital part of how the university advances its mission and is a key center for business and organizational teams, faculty and students to convene, discover and innovate.

The Alden B. Dow Creativity Center is housed in the Macauley Whiting Residence. The home was built for Macauley and Helen Whiting in 1947. Mrs. Whiting is the granddaughter of Herbert and Grace Dow and the niece of Alden B. Dow, who served as architect for the house.

The land that the Whitings selected for the site of their home was a five acre parcel on the very edge of town. The land supported many mature, hardwood trees and a graceful roll down to a creek. Alden Dow considered those features when he sited the house on the land. The front of the house follows the horizontal plane of the land while the trees provide a backdrop for the design. The rear elevation, most of which is glass, opens the house to the landscape. Retaining walls, terraces, and graduated stairs follow the contour of the landscape and lead to a creek.

The most outstanding feature of the house is the front door. The door design incorporates numerous tree species from all over the world collected by the Whitings in their travels. The door was designed by Alden Dow and constructed in the architectural studio workshop by Ted Gwizdala, Mr. Dow's master woodworker.

In the early 1970's, the Whitings moved from Midland to Idaho and they donated the house and property to the City of Midland. Several years ago the Herbert and Grace Dow Foundation acquired the property and leased the space. Currently, it houses the Northwood University Alden B. Dow Creativity Center and Marketing & Communications.