Naitu, Tacho

Tachu Naito (12 June 1886 - 25 August 1970)

Tachu Naito was a Japanese architect, engineer, and professor, who can be considered as a father of earthquake-proof design. Naito built many broadcasting and observation towers, such as the Tokyo Tower.Tachu Naito attended the Tokyo Imperial University (presently the University of Tokyo) and graduated in 1910. Three years later he became a professor at Waseda University.
In 1916 he came up with his seismic theory of the earthquake-proof wall, which based on his observations about the movements of luggage depending on a trains acceleration. The effectivity of his theory had been proven in 1923, when his construction of the Industrial Bank of Japan’s main office withstood the damage of the Great Kanto earthquake.
Naito also designed many broadcasting towers, such as the Nagoya TV Tower in 1954, the Tsutenkaku in 1956, the Sapporo TV Tower and the Beppu Tower in 1957, and the Tokyo Tower in 1958.