Category Archives: Uncategorized

Central Coast Green Building Council 2020 Green New Construction Award

We are thrilled to announce the Direct Relief Headquarters has been awarded a U.S. Green Building Council 2020 Green Award by the Central Coast Green Building Council. Thank you to DMHA , our incredible client and the entire project team.

The Central Coast Green Building Council Green Awards recognizes outstanding sustainable building achievements and community members within the tri-county region.

The Green Awards highlight innovative design, construction, products, businesses, schools, governments and educational programs.

Check out this video of our project by DMHA highlighting the project team’s collaborative successes in designing a sustainable, efficient, beautiful and thoughtful site for the Direct Relief headquarters, offices and distribution center.

Under Construction | Downtown Infill Housing

We are excited to see two of our downtown infill residential projects under construction across the street from one another!
The first is our East De La Guerra Mixed Use project with KIBO Group  and Cearnal Collective (check out these renderings).  This project will bring 26 new rental units to the downtown core while restoring the historic home of the Ygnacio family; descendants of the notable Santa Barbarian and Chumash womxn Maria Ygnacia.
The second is our 800 Santa Barbara Street Mixed Use project with HBA Architects and JDC Construction and Development Group  This three story development will bring 23 new housing units to the downtown core while preserving the original East-West brick paseo.

view of 800 Santa Barbara Street to 214-226 East De La Guerra

214-226 East De La Guerra

mixed use housing going up on De La Guerra

Cameron Hunt from CJM::LA verifies plans with American Landscape contractors

Left: Scaffolding at the new elevator tower | Right: Historic home of Maria Ygnacia to be restored

stone install.

landscape fabric installed at built-in planters | plants coming soon!

800 Santa Barbara Street

JDC Group begins construction at 800 Santa Barbara Street

existing olive trees to be relocated on site

view of 800 Santa Barbara from De La Guerra Street

SB Beautiful Golden Leaf Awards

We are thrilled to have our Dune parklet awarded a Santa Barbara Beautiful ‘Golden Leaf Award’ through our participation with Allen Construction‘s ‘Locals Helping Locals’ program. Thank you Allen Construction, Dune Coffee, Santa Barbara Beautiful and the Santa Barbara community for showing creative resiliency throughout this pandemic.

KEEPING SANTA BARBARA BEAUTIFUL DURING COVID-19
SB BEAUTIFUL “GOLDEN LEAF AWARDS”
CELEBRATING 55 YEARS OF BEAUTIFICATION

WHO:   Santa Barbara Beautiful continues a 55 Year tradition of beautification with “Golden Leaf Awards”.
WHAT:   SBB honors local businesses & organizations who showed leadership during this challenging time of Covid-19 Pandemic to enhance public space & support the arts.
HARD NUMBERS: (60) Hand-Calligraphed Awards Certificates for “Outstanding Community Support”
QUOTE:  “We’re honored to celebrate our 55th Anniversary with Golden Leaf Awards – dedicated to the strength of our community & the individuals who have given joy to our city during difficult times. Congratulations to each and every one!”  ~ Penny Haberman, President SB Beautiful.

WINNING PROJECTS & PARTICIPANTS:
  1. “Light It Blue”: City of Santa Barbara – Nina Johnson, Project Coordinator
    1. Project Description: Local landmarks lit up in blue during the month of May to show gratitude to healthcare & essential workers.
    2. Host Facility Sponsors: Arlington Theater; Lobero Theater; SB Museum of Natural History Sea Center; Cottage Hospital Santa Barbara; Mission Santa Barbara.
    3.  Coordinators/ Artists/ Sponsors: Andrew Gartner, Gartner Design Co. (Coordinator); Lani Ballonoff, SPARK Creative Events (Sponsor); Kym Cochran & Jonathan Smith, The Environment Makers (Participating Artists); Casey Caldwell, SB Arts Collaborative/CAW) (Sponsor); Jake Hanson, Bella Vista Designs (Sponsor); Ethan Turpin Art & Design (Participating Artist); Nina Dunbar (Coordinator).
  2. “Locals Helping Locals”: Allen Construction – Lindsay Helmick, CFO Project Coordinator
    1. Project Description: Building Pro Bono Outdoor Parklets; Seating; ADA Ramps, etc.
    2. Community Partners: Hayward Lumber; Mission Audio & Visual; CJM::LA; Evergreen SB
    3. Local Businesses: Brass Bear Brewing & Bistro; Dune Coffee; Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood; Kunin Wines; Little Kitchen; Mollie’s Restaurant; Renaud’s Patisserie & Bistro Montecito; Restaurant Roy; Valley Project; Villa Wine Bar.
  3. “2020 Design Charette – Downtown State Street”: AIA Santa Barbara Chapter, Project Coordinator
    1. Project Description: Reinvigorate, Reinvent, Reimagine, and Repurpose our Downtown with housing, energy, and life.
    2. Charrette Committee Co-Chairs: Cass Ensberg FAIA & LEED AP; Detlev Peikert AIA, LEED AP BD+C; Ellen Bildsten AIA LEED AP; Matt Beausoleil AIA & 2020 president AIA SB.
    3. Steering Committee: Alex Pujo AIA; Amy Fitzgerald-Tripp AIA; Paul Rupp AIA; Dennis Thompson FAIA; John Campanella; Karen Feeney, Hon. AIASB; Nina Johnson; Tony Tomasello; Jasper Jacobs P.E.
  4. “2020 Awards for Responsive Works to Covid-19~Artists’ Stipends”: County of SB Office of Arts & Culture – Sarah York Rubin, Executive Director
    1. Project Description: In recognition of artists’ essential contributions, up to 20 stipends of $500 each to local artists who created work in response to this unprecedented time of COVID-19.
    2. Dennis Smitherman, County Arts Commission; Karen Kerns, SB Bowl Foundation.  Project Participants:   “#WeMakeEvents” “#RedAlertRESTART” .
  5. Project Description: Local participation in a nationwide event of Red illumination of performing arts & culture venues on September 1, 2020 in support of live entertainment industry during Covid-19 pandemic.
  6. Host Facilities Event Sponsors: SB Bowl: Rick Boller, Executive Director; Eric Shiflett, Program Director. Arlington Theater: Tammy Steuart (Metro Theaters)
  7. Project Coordinator: Christopher Darling
  8. Lighting: SPARK Creative Events
About Santa Barbara Beautiful

Since 1965, Santa Barbara Beautiful has planted over 12,000 trees, provided over $500,,000 in grants to support local art and design projects, funded scholarships to students majoring in environmental horticulture & architecture, and celebrated numerous individuals, residences, and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional efforts to make Santa Barbara beautiful.
The purpose of Santa Barbara Beautiful is to stimulate community interest and action toward the enhancement of Santa Barbara’s beauty as a complement to current and future government and private activity.
Santa Barbara Beautiful is an organization of volunteers dedicated to beautifying our area in a variety of ways not only by working independently but also by cooperating with city departments, neighborhood association and other agencies. Formed in 1965 by concerned civic leaders, Santa Barbara Beautiful is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation. Contributions are tax-deductible

7 Years In Business

On April 1, 2020 we celebrated 7 years in business!  What started as a sole proprietorship in 2013 has quickly grown to become a thriving team of creatives.  Today CJM::LA is a dynamic group of individuals who collaborate to produce design solutions that prioritize the environmental, economic and social sustainability of our communities.  In addition to our contributions to the built environment, we also support our local communities via board positions, mentorship programs, internship/shadowship opportunities, volunteerism and contributions to the educational and professional institutions that support the landscape architecture profession.  As we look toward the future, we are excited to expand our creative reach into new markets and develop new methods of executing our shared vision.

HERE’S A LOOK BACK

                                                                                                         
 

 
Thank you to our collaborators, clients, friends and families who helped us reach this milestone.  We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with such powerful minds!

For a closer look at our most recent work:: CJM-LA_Portfolio 2020

ArchitecTours Wrap-Up

We were out in full force last Saturday, giving tours of our Direct Relief project as part of the Santa Barbara AIA’s ArchitecTours.  After an in-depth presentation by Michael Holliday, architect for the project, Courtney and Nicole led community members on a tour of the exterior of the property.  Our design for the new headquarters includes innovation and reflection gardens, courtyards for events and employees, and stormwater infiltration features such as bioretention basins, bioswales and permeable pavers.  The overall design language for the property features a “reed” pattern which reflects upon the history of this region as part of the Goleta Slough.  Details such as the trellises, gates, and formliner panels which imprint the concrete tilt-up walls reflect this language.  The planting design includes a subdued color palette and focus on form, texture and pattern in the plant material.

We received so many questions about the species of plants used throughout the property, so offered to share our plant palette which you can view below.  Thank you Direct Relief for allowing us to open your doors to the community, and to everyone who came out for the tour.  We love to share the story behind our work!

AIA ArchitecTours 2019 | Featuring New Work By CJM::LA

Early bird tickets for ArchitecTours 2019 are now on sale!  Please click here to purchase.

ArchitecTours is an annual celebration of local architecture and cultural identity. Projects on the tour showcase the design and depth of knowledge of AIA architects and affiliated members. The self-guided tour offers a rare opportunity for a behind-the-scenes look at exceptional properties. Experience the transformative power of architecture. Come be inspired by these examples of history, sustainability, and creativity that are enriching Santa Barbara’s future!

This year’s tour will take place on Saturday, October 5, 2019 and celebrates the intersection of art and architecture. Art can be found in architecture throughout our community. It bridges both old and new architectural styles and transcends time. It can take the form of artistically designed buildings and landscapes that, in and of themselves, are considered art pieces.

CJM::LA will be showcasing our recently completed Direct Relief Headquarters project on the tour.  We will be on-site all day offering guided tours of the property as well as information about our practice and the history of the Direct Relief organization.  Join us!

CELEBRATING FIVE YEARS IN BUSINESS!

We are celebrating an incredible FIVE YEARS in business in Santa Barbara!

OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS, THE CJM::LA TEAM HAS:

Grown our team from 1 to 6!
Supported 2 team members in obtaining professional licensure in the state of California.
Supported the professional development of 5 future Landscape Architects via our internship/shadowship program.
Contributed to the Santa Barbara and Ventura communities via Courtney’s position on the Architectural Board of Review and Nicole’s position on the Board of Directors at the Ventura Botanical Gardens.
Educated High School students about the Landscape Architecture profession via Katie’s involvement in the ACE Mentor Program.
Celebrated the opening of 21 new projects in the hospitality, multi-family residential, private residential, commercial, and parks & recreational markets.
Partnered with 4 local non-profits to provide safe, affordable housing to those in need; to improve the lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies, and to help communities realize their inherent potential to live fulfilling lives.
Fostered the contemporary art scene in Santa Barbara via our #DROUGHTRESISTANT series.
Designed both private and public spaces in a way that pushes the boundary of the expected.

AND…continued to #CHANGETHECONVERSATION!

Another CJM::LA Team Member Acquires Professional Licensure!

Congratulations to Nicole Horn on her recent major professional milestone of achieving licensure in the state of California!

We are so proud of Nicole!  She has been with us for two years, and has been an invaluable addition to the CJM::LA team.

CJM::LA Team Expands

We are excited to announce the addition of Cameron Hunt to our Santa Barbara design studio!

Cameron comes to us with a background in estate residential, institutional, commercial, and hospitality projects.  A native of Santa Barbara, he values the careful execution of meaningful built environments that embody thoughtful design and sustainable building practices.  He is a licensed landscape architect and joins us as a Project Manager.  In his spare time, Cameron enjoys playing guitar and has a long history of writing and producing music.  With the addition of Cameron to our team, we have added irrigation design to our list of available services.  Welcome, Cameron!

We’ve Moved!

We have recently moved and are actively looking for exceptional candidates to grow our expanding team.  Please see our job listings here.

Our new office is located near the corner of Victoria Street and State Street.  For a map of this area, click here.

CJM::LA Team Member Acquires Professional Licensure

Congratulations to Katie Klein on her recent major professional milestone of achieving licensure in the state of California!

Katie has been a major contributor to the success of CJM::LA over the past four years.  She is tirelessly dedicated to the creation of beautiful spaces, and has consistently demonstrated her commitment to the field of landscape architecture since she joined our team in 2013.

CJM::LA Team Expands

We are very pleased to announce the addition of Nicole Horn to our Santa Barbara design studio.

NicoleHorn
Nicole comes to us with a background in urban planning and landscape architectural design and is interested in fostering social benefit through the implementation of ecologically sensitive and creatively designed spaces.  She holds two masters; in both landscape architecture and urban and regional planning.  Nicole enjoys surfing and also volunteers her time as an active board member of the Ventura Botanical Gardens.  She joins us as a project manager and has already become an integral member of the CJM::LA team.  Welcome Nicole!