Basic Biographical Details

Name: Valentin Sagasti (or Sagasti Torrano)
Designation:  
Born: 11 March 1930
Died: 24 April 2013
Bio Notes: Valentin Sagasti (or Sagasti Torrano) was born on 11 March 1930 in San Sebastiano in Northern Spain. During the course of the Spanish Civil War, his family was evacuated to the relative safety of Barakaldo, near Bilbao (except his older sister who went to live with an aunt in Estella). His younger sisters were born in Barakaldo. After the bombing of Guernica in April 1937, the decision was made to evacuate the children with adult helpers to the safety of other countries. Sagasti Torrano boarded a ship for Southampton on 21 May 1937.

On arrival in the United Kingdom, Sagasti was sent to a hostel in Brampton, near Carlisle but in August 1939 he was moved to stay in Glasgow with a foster family, the Blackwoods, and he started school at Carntyne Primary School. The Clydebank bombing blitz meant another move. He and his foster mother moved to the Meadowpark holiday camp at Irvine. His schooling continued at Bank Street Primary School in Irvine and the annex of Irvine Royal Academy. He was awarded a three-year grant by Ayrshire Education Authority to continue his education. In later years in recognition of the help and encouragement he had received, he donated a trophy to his school for the best pupil in technical subjects and was dedicated to his woodwork teacher.

On leaving school, he entered the practice of Gratton & McLean in Glasgow and at the same time studied architecture part-time at Glasgow School of Art. He was elected ARIBA in 1962 and ARIAS in 1964.

He met his wife Vera in Glasgow after qualifying and they spent a short period of time in London but returned to Scotland where their three daughters were born.

The family was in Irvine in the mid-1960s. In due course he had a post as senior architect with Parry & Hughes. Later he opened his own practice. He was practising as sole partner in the practice Bailey Robb & Sagasti in 1979. The name of the practice had changed to Sagasti Associates by 1987. He is no longer listed in 1994. The pratice however presumably became Abrahams Sagasti Architects.

When he was in his early twenties Sagasti Torrano had hitchhiked to Spain to see his family but could not enter the country as he would have been arrested and conscripted into the army. Instead his family met him in no-man's land on the bridge over the border. In 2012 as one of the 'Los Ninos Vascos' he was interviewed for a film about the children who never returned to Spain. He watched the film with his Spanish family.

Sagasti Torrano died on 21 April 2013 survived by his daughters and grandson. [His obituary in the Herald does not explain the reason for the addition of 'Torrano' to his name. Early sources simply give the name as 'Sagasti'].

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 421, Algie Street, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1960After 1964 
Item 2 of 47, Crocus Grove, Irvine, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivatec. 1966After 1970 
Item 3 of 4268, Bath Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1979After 1981 
Item 4 of 4274, Bath Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1987 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 5Abrahams Sagasti Architects  Partner 
Item 2 of 5Gratton & McLean  Apprentice 
Item 3 of 5Parry & Hughes  Senior Architect 
Item 4 of 5Sagasti Associates1970s1980sSenior Partner 
Item 5 of 5Bailey Robb & Sagasti1975 Partner 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5RIBA1965The RIBA Kalendar   
Item 2 of 5RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 3 of 5RIBA1979Directory of members   
Item 4 of 5RIBA1981Directory of Practices 1981   
Item 5 of 5RIBA1987RIBA Directory of Members 1987   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Herald, The24 April 2015