Club de Bilbao. In 1952, Bastida began remodeling the central headquarters of "Banco de Bilbao " on Gran Vía. In the summer of 1953 he received reports from Mexico about the poor health of his friend Prieto and decided to visit him. On the plane he fell ill and went to the airport in bad condition, so he suspended all scheduled. Prieto, concerned about the health of Bastida, looked after him at home . A few days later, the architect was strengthened and quickly returned to Bilbao. When he returned, he underwent surgery, but died shortly at : 15 October 1953 (Bastida was 74 years ). Prieto wrote in memory of architect an article called "Mi más querido amigo". These are some sentences of the article: " Mr. Bastida is one of the most distinguished Spanish architects and certainly one of the best men I have ever known ." And include the simplicity and humility of the architect, which was manifested in the plea he made before he died at his family: he asked to write in his obituary simply "Ricardo Bastida, Diocesan Architect", without adding even "Mr." or title of "Most illustrious" which he possessed by the positions that he had occupied. Works Alhóndiga, Bilbao, 1909 "Casa Cuna", 1914 Municipal Center of Disinfections, 1916 "Casa Lezama-Leguizamon", Bilbao, 1921 "Banco de Bilbao", nº 16 of calle de Alcalá in Madrid, 1923 Blueprint of the junction between Bilbao and its surrounding villages, 1923 The entry plan to Bilbao from Begoña, 1925 See also Modernism in the architecture of Bilbao http://www.alhondigabilbao.com/ http://www.euskomedia.org/aunamendi/12002 References 20th-century Spanish architects 1879 births 1953 deaths Architects from the Basque Country (autonomous community) People from Bilbao