Marcus Willcocks

We're sad to inform those visiting this page that Marcus Willcocks passed away recently from leukaemia.

We are leaving his profile on our website for the time being to allow those who knew him and those who didn't to read about the considerable professional contributions to the fields of social, planetary design and research. Our thoughts are with all those who knew Marcus. 

Marcus was a practicing designer, active researcher, and advisor on place-based collaborative, people- and planet-centered design. He brought-to-life cross-disciplinary, socially responsive, and award-winning projects for over two decades of his career. Trained in London, Barcelona, and Copenhagen, Marcus delivered, taught, and advised on design in the UK and internationally through placemaking strategy, visions, engagements, and research.

He was a Senior Urban Designer with Sustrans, Research Fellow in Design and Public Space at CSM, University of the Arts London, and consultant experienced across sectors. Marcus worked on inclusive active mobility, design for healthier places, people, and planet, social-safe neighborhoods, urban identity, equitable artistic playful public realm, and human-centered design against crime.

He consulted on the placemaking strategy for the emerging Bristol Temple Quarter. His work was included within the Government of South Australia’s Atlas of Urban Excellence, GLA’s cultural strategy, as well as the permanent collection of MoMA New York. Marcus was co-founder of the Urban Lexicons initiative recently shortlisted for the LFA Co-Designing Equity in Public Realm competition. He was an invited expert for inclusive innovation in public toilets with Helen Hamlyn Centre RCA. He was also published internationally, including in Routledge’s 2023 Handbook of Placemaking.