Víctor Eusa Razquin (1894–1990) was a Spanish architect, active almost exclusively in Navarre; he left his personal mark on Pamplona, which hosts numerous prestigious and monumental buildings he designed. Eusa is best known for his version of Art Deco style, though he went also through eclectic, regionalist, rationalist, expressionist and neo-classical periods, with occasional references to historicism, beaux arts, neo-mudejár or Dutch neo-plasticism styles. His best known works are the San Miguel seminary and the Piarist college, both in Pamplona. In the mid-1930s he was engaged in politics and held a seat in the Carlist wartime executive in Navarre.
Family and youth
The Eusa family has been for generations related to Valle de Egüés, a Navarrese community near Pamplona, already at the Pyrenean foothills.Víctor great-great-great-great grandfather was Carlos Eusa, his great-great-great- grandfather was Miguel Eusa Elain; in 1728 he married Graciosa Errea Ecay, Miguel Eusa Elain entry, [in:] Geneaordoñez service, available here Víctor's great-great-grandfatherVíctor's great-great-grandfather was Francisco Eusa Errea; in 1780 he married Maria Josepha Ardanaz Azacarate from Alzuza, Pedro Miguel Eusa Ardaiz entry, [in:] Geneaordoñez service, available here and great-grandfatherVíctor's great-grandfather was Pedro Miguel Eusa Ardanaz; he married Maria Andres Ardaiz Roncal, Martin Josef Eusa Ardaiz entry, [in:] Geneaordoñez service, available here originated from the village of Alzuza. Also his grandfather, Martín José Eusa Ardaiz, was the native of Alzuza, but in the mid-19th century he settled in Pamplona.Víctor's grandfather Martin Josef Eusa Ardaiz in 1845 married Maria Goni Esquiroz, Salustiano Eusa Goñi entry, [in:] Geneaordoñez service, available here Víctor's father, Salustiano Eusa Goñi (1852-1919) was born already in the Navarrese capital; in 1889 he married Tomasa Razquin Ijurco (1862-1958) from Arruazu.she was daughter to Jose Francisco Razquin and Braulia Vicenta Yjurjo [Yjurco] Adrian from Lizarraga de Ergoyena, Tomasa Razquin Ijurco entry, [in:] Geneaordoñez service, available here Eusa Goñi worked as administrator of estates, held by local landholders and aristocrats; his customers were e.g. the former mayor of Pamplona José Javier Colmenares Vidarte and Condesa de Ripalda. Over time he grew to wealth; while in the early 1880s there were no possessions registered against his name, in the 1910s he was known as “rico propietario”, categorized as member of “clases pasivas”e.g. individuals which did not perform any specific job and lived off what they already possessed and ranked 44. on the list of key taxpayers of the city.Fernando Tabuenca González, La arquitectura de Víctor Eusa [PhD thesis Universidad Politécnica de Madrid], Marid 2016, p. 20
Víctor was born as the only son; he had two sisters, an olderFelisa Eusa Razquin entry, [in:] Geneaordoñez service, available here and a younger one.María Dolores Eusa Razquin did not marry, Tabuenca González 2016, p. 19 They were raised in a family considered typical for Pamplonese bourgeoisie of the late 19th century, tending to conservative outlook, adhering to traditional values, and profoundly Catholic.Tabuenca González 2016, p. 139 He initially frequented the Piarist school, later to enter Instituto General y Técnico de Pamplona.Miguel Angel Eusa, Mi padre, [in:] Víctor Eusa. Arquitecto, Pamplona 2009, p. 31 Reportedly from early childhood he demonstrated a gift for drawing, and in his teens he developed interest in design and architecture. In 1911 or 1912 Víctor moved to Madrid.Tabuenca González 2016, p. 21 During first few years he was attending courses at Universidad Central, required before commencing dedicated architectural studies. In 1914 he was admitted to Escuela Superior de Arquitectura. The curriculum lasted 6 years; throughout this period, his master was Teodoro Anasagasti.Tabuenca González 2016, p. 23 Eusa graduated in 1920, together with other later known architects José de Azpiroz and Manuel Sanchez Arcas.Tabuenca González 2016, p. 29 He then returned to Navarre seeking first design contracts.
In 1929 and when already a known architect, Eusa married a girl from Pamplona, Florencia Eugui Garro (1906-2009). She was descendant to another local bourgeoisie family.Florencia Eugui Garro entry, [in:] Geni srvice, available here Her father ran a sugar mill in the Cuatro Vientos districtTabuenca González 2016, p. 71 and later developed it into the alcohol and vinegar business;Víctor Manuel Egia Astiba, La azucarera de Eugui en Iruña/Pamplona, [in:] Ondaregia service 22.01.21, available here he also served as councilor in the Pamplona town hall.A.O., El mausoleo de Eusa, [in:] Diario de Navarra 01.11.13, available here The marriage proved to be lasting and happy; Florencia was ingenious and resourceful, which allowed Víctor to focus on architecture.Tabuenca González 2016, p. 73 The couple lived in the Eusa family house at the central Pamplonese calle Estafetain 1973, when Eusa found i difficult to climb the stairs, the couple moved to an elevator-equipped house at Plaza del Vínculo, Ion Stegmeier, Los personajes de Víctor Eusa, [in:] Diario de Navarra 08.10.10, available here and had 4 children, born between 1930 and 1940: Carmen, María Jesús, Isabel and Miguel Angel Eusa Eugui.Tabuenca González 2016, p. 73 None of them became a public figure. Neither Víctor's grandchildren are known nationally, though Reyes Marquiegui Eusa tried her hand as translator of juvenile literature.see Leigh Sauerwein, Itché, Madrid 2013, ISBN 9788487045325 The Eusa branch is likely to extinguish; Víctor's son has only female descendancy.Stegmeier 2020
Works (overview)
Eusa was professionally active between 1920 and 1973; throughout this period he was engaged in around 560 projects, some 80 to 120 every decade, though his most productive period ranged from the mid-1920s to the early-1950s.in the 1920s Eusa was engaged in 83 projects. For the following decades the figures are as follows: 1930s: 128, 1940s: 128, 1950s: 101, 1960s: 104, 1970s: 15, see the list in Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 435-444. After the early 1950s his work “carece de la creatividad de la época anterior”, Tabuenca González 2016, p. 187 Except his juvenile drawings and few designs which for one reason or another remained on paper, almost all were completed as finished constructions; they ranged from massive buildings or entire living quarters to sepulchral family mausoleums or minor refurbishments of existing buildings.entire list in Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 435-444 He delivered most of the projects as independent, contracted-out architect. However, during two spells he worked as self-governmental employee. In 1937-1941 Eusa acted as provisional municipal architect of the city of Pamplona;Eusa Eugui 2016, p. 32 in 1945-1962 he held the post of official provincial architect of Diputación Foral de Navarra.Eusa Eugui 2016, pp. 32-33 Around 320 of his projects are related to Pamplona, many in the district known as Segundo Ensanche; he is so much associated with the city that some authors name him “el Gaudí de Pamplona”.Jorge Latorre, Eusa el Gaudí de Pamplona, [in:] Revista NAV 7 (2010), pp. 78-82 Most of the remaining constructions are located in Navarre and undertakings beyond his native region are very few.his works divided according to geographical location in Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 447-455 Some 40 of his works were contracted by the Navarrese Diputación Foral, around 15 by the Pamplona town hall, around 30 by other ayuntamientos (mostly in Navarre), and around 30 by religious orders. Among Eusa's private or commercial customers the one which stands out is Caja de Ahorros de Navarra (around 60 projects); further 400 contracts were signed with other business entities, various institutions and numerous private individuals.his works divided according to customer type in Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 471-480
Present-day historian divides Eusa's works into 13 categories. Some 65 projects covered multi-family residential buildings; some were grouped in entire housing developments, e.g. as council estates.Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 459-460 Around 60 designs were related to single-family estates, ranging from modest urban houses to prestigious villas to imposing rural properties.Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 460-461 Around 25 projects are categorized as public educational establishments, including crèches, various types of schools or entire compounds known as “colonia escolar”.Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 461-461 Around 20 works are related to schooling institutions managed by religious orders, including colegios, gymnasiums or seminars.Tabuenca González 2016, p. 462 Constructions serving strictly religious purposes amount to some 35: they range from chapels to monuments, monasteries, churches and even hermitages.Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 462-463 There are some 55 sepulchral projects, especially family mausoleums; they include also military pantheons, monuments, crematoria or general cemetery designs.Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 463-464 Constructions intended for health and related services are clinics, elderly wards, sanatoria, charity establishments and hospitals (around 20).Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 464 Some 30 projects designed for travel & leisure industry cover hotels, casinos, cinemas, tennis clubs, concert halls or tourist shelters.Tabuenca González 2016, p. 464-465 Administrative and other institutional projects include municipal houses, town halls and exposition halls (around 15).Tabuenca González 2016, p. 465 Contracts with banks and other financial institutions amount to around 75, from headquarters of major insurance or bank companies to branch offices.Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 465-466 Other commercial projects cover bars, workshops, garages, service stations, retail or service premises (around 20).Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 466-467 Finally, general urban projects include parks, gardens, bus stations, plazas, viewpoints, monuments, a tunnel and a bridge.Tabuenca González 2016, p. 467
Major works
Chronologically the first major project was headquarters of the insurance company La Vasco Navarra (1924).the Vasco Navarra project adhered to the holistic Gesamtkunstwerk concept and included also interior design down to minor detail Tabuenca González 2016, p. 47 Along few large residential villase.g. for Rafael Aizpún and Sebastián Goicoechea, Tabuenca González 2016, p. 47-48 the same year Eusa produced the plan of the Hijas de María Immaculada monastery.Tabuenca González 2016, p. 49 Puente de San Jorge in Alcoy turned out to be the only bridge he designed (1926).Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 49-51 Casa de Misericordia was the first monumental, multi-volume establishment, designed with no restraints related to size. It included a number of in-built facilities, like a large chapel (1927).Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 53-58 Residential villa for Eguinoa brothers demonstrated ingenuity embodied in mid-size construction (1928).the Eguinoa brothers residence is currently known as chalé de la Mutua (1928), Tabuenca González 2016, p. 61 Eusa returned to religious theme with the church of Padres Paúles, known as La Milagrosa (1928).Tabuenca González 2016, p. 61-63 Colegio de los PP. Escolapios, a 3-storey enormous multi-wing building, was Eusa's most ambitious project so far and is one of his most iconic works (1928).Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 65-67 Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Puy in Estella turned an essay in geometry (1929),Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 75-77 while residential multi-dwellings at Plaza Príncipe de Viana marked his urbanistic capacity (1930).Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 69-71 A 7-storey edifice hosting Casino Eslava, with meticulously designed interior, was Eusa's last major work of the monarchy (1931).Tabuenca González 2016, pp. 79-91