Midcentury Naperville

Preservation Futures has conducted three surveys of Naperville’s earliest subdivisions, made up of unique Mid Century Modern homes constructed in the 1950s. The scale, use of materials, and design of these homes and neighborhoods were influential on the explosive growth of the region’s suburban housing market.

A focus of the surveys is the work of developer Harold Moser and of the architect and builder Don Tosi, a student of the famed Bruce Goff and builder of Goff’s iconic Ford House in Aurora, IL. Tosi’s unique interpretations of the Prairie Style for a mass market include rustic structural expression, use of stone and brick veneers, and strong horizontal roof and balcony lines, as well as playful use of color.

Naperville Preservation has used the survey documents to advocate with homeowners and local governments for increased preservation incentives for the preservation of midcentury modern housing in the city.