Orange doors, geometric balconies and triangular chimneys: these are some of the features that distinguish the mid-century modern houses designed by architect Don Tosi. The homes he built in Naperville and elsewhere represent a journey to the past — specifically, to a post-World War II era that offered a promise of a bright future for young families.

“I think the Don Tosi homes are probably the most representative of that time of great growth and optimism in Naperville,” said Jane Burke, secretary of Naperville Preservation Inc. The nonprofit — in collaboration with Chicago-based firm Preservation Futures — is in the process of documenting all of Tosi homes in Naperville to help preserve and educate the public about the unique homes that capture a very different time in the city’s past.