Over 50 years of original design development and working drawings for each of Alden Dow’s 560 projects and their corresponding job files are stored on site in the Playroom of the residence.  Drawings dating from as early as the 1920s are accessible for study. The archival processing and organization of these documents began in 1988, with the majority of completion achieved by 2000. All documents were analyzed and rated for fragility, sent to conservation when needed and are held in environmentally controlled containers and space.

Access to this collection of drawings was deemed possible by Vada Dow in her quest to share and expose others to Alden Dow’s talent and his innovative approach to architecture.   The example images below are a sampling of the 22,000 drawings possible for review; featuring both built and un-built designs. When visiting the Archives, defining your research topic prior to your visit will assist our staff in pulling all related materials to compliment your interests.

(For photography credits, see the photographer page.)