Early the morning of April 1, Francois passed away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by family and friends, in a private home on the sand facing the Pacific.

For all his talent and success, Francois’s work and ideas were never driven by profit. Meanwhile, Eviana, his partner of 4 years, has given all of her time and energy to manage his care full-time, while being responsible for their beloved 16-month-old daughter Clarisse. After three months of daily catastrophic events culminating in this unfathomable loss, she needs support to restructure the future that she and Francois had been building together.

Funds raised will cover outstanding medical expenses, and support Clarisse’s education and care.

Background:
For three months, Francois courageously battled a rare, aggressive cancer of the brain and spinal cord called anaplastic ependymoma.

Francois was an acclaimed architect and curator; a pillar of the art and architecture communities in L.A. and Paris; and a big-wave surfer. His work is known for its material innovation, ecological sensitivity, and ethereal beauty. He has taught at universities and exhibited his work worldwide, and published numerous books. He was named a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture in 2018.

Francois’s illness was an unforeseen shock that began to escalate just after the holidays. He was in the hospital for over 2 months starting in mid-January, when severe back pain and headaches brought him to the ER. He endured 8 brain surgeries and 2 spinal surgeries as doctors tried to contain a devastating and rare neurological side effect called low pressure hydrocephalus. This left him unable to walk or function independently—or receive treatment for the underlying cancer itself.

The experience has been catastrophic for all involved, but especially for his immediate family.

Your thoughtfulness, friendship and support have given Eviana the strength to keep going. She and Clarisse are grateful for everyone’s love and generosity.