The GSD remembers Marcus Alan Owens (MDes ’13), who passed away on August 26, 2025, at the age of 42. Marcus was an accomplished academic, artist, architect, athlete, and outdoorsman, as well as a loving son, brother, friend, husband, and father.
Marcus met his wife, Christina Antiporda (MLA ’14), while studying urbanism, landscape, and ecology at the GSD. Together, Marcus and Christina formed CAMO design studio, which implemented placemaking projects in conjunction with government agencies and community organizations. Marcus and Christina led a group of local volunteers to transform a desolate parking lot into an outdoor oasis for wellness, arts, and events, filled with native plants and Calamansi trees. The space, known as Kapwa Gardens, became a beloved cultural center in the Pilipinas District of San Francisco.
In addition to his degree from the GSD, Marcus also earned a Master of Architecture from the Art Institute of Chicago and a PhD in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning from UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design.
Marcus will be remembered for his perceptiveness, creativity, and perseverance, and his influence will continue to endure in the many lives he touched.
Learn more about Marcus’ life and legacy.
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