YASUI ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Managing Executive Officer
Job Titles:
- Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer
Job Titles:
- Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer
Job Titles:
- Managing Executive Officer
Job Titles:
- Managing Executive Officer
Shoichi Sano appointed Chair of the Board, he passed away in 2014, and Masanobu
Job Titles:
- Director
- Managing Executive Officer
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Our Founder
- S Own Residence, 1931
Takeo Yasui decided to open his own design firm directly after completion of the Osaka Club in 1924. Aged 40, his experience helped Yasui Architects and Engineers, Inc. get off to a strong start. Shortly after launch, three prominent Osaka businessmen, Tokushichi Nomura, Naomasa Kataoka and Kichirobe Yamaguchi entrusted Yasui with their business dreams. As well as liking his creative vision, they had a lot of faith in his practical design ability.
Takeo Yasui described his style as "free form". He never tried to force a previous solution onto a new design, whether it was a home or an office building. As well as having innate creativity, he maintained a resolute spirit throughout his life, and took pride in demonstrating professionalism.
Here we look at how he made his way.
Takeo Yasui was born in Sakura-shi, Chiba Prefecture, in 1884. He was the second son of his father Nobutane, a major in the army, and his mother Yuu. He was the middle child of five siblings: first son Yoshinosuke, who later became a soldier; first daughter Sada; third son Shinsuke; and fourth son Katsumi. He attended elementary school and junior high school in Toyohashi-shi, Aichi Prefecture. His maternal grandfather Sakuzo Sayama was also a soldier. After entering First Higher School in 1903, he studied oil painting and was influenced by Takeji Fujishima of the Hakubakai*, a radical group of Western-style artists. However, his personal goal was to design buildings.
Yasui worked on many residential designs. His own residence, which was located in Shukugawa, Nishinomiya-shi, Hyogo Prefecture, on the outskirts of Osaka, was a powerful statement in modern architecture. It was used as a home until the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.
Homes by Vories, Wright, Togo Murano, and others still remain in the area between Shukugawa and Ashiya.
Below: From left, Takeo, Tadashi (first son), Fumi (second daughter), Moto (third daughter), Kiyo (wife), and Michi (first daughter)
One noteworthy event during Yasui's time at Kataoka Architecture Office was his encounter with Tokushichi Nomura, a prominent businessman and founder of Nomura Securities. Yasui was put in charge of the design for the Dojima branch of Osaka Nomura Bank. The project was a success and, having built trust, Yasui was later chosen to lead the building of the Osaka head office.
Above: Proposal for the pattern of the carpet in the directors' meeting room in the Osaka Nomura Bank Head Office
Job Titles:
- President After Takeo Yasui Passed Away
Job Titles:
- Director
- Executive Vice President
- President