Mar Monte Hotel | Waterfront Construction Almost Complete!

Renovations are underway at what will soon be known as the Hyatt Mar Monte. As this project nears the end of the construction phase, the CJM::LA continues to oversee the revitalization of this historic hotel with Young Construction and Steve Hanson Landscaping.  This project combines layered textural plantings with historic Spanish Colonial detailing, ensuring a natural cohesion with the Santa Barbara waterfront.

demolition of the existing parking lot and impermeable brick paving

converting the existing parking lot into a pedestrian promenade and lobby placita

decorative columns taking shape!

framing the fountain

setting the mediterranean fan palm in place at the pool deck

converting the existing pool deck into a lush paradise

careful restoration of the original hotel entry

putting the finishing touches on our lobby placita fountain. tile provided by NS Ceramic.

 

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!

Nicole Horn Promoted To Associate Principal

We are excited to announce that Nicole Horn has been promoted to Associate Principal at our Santa Barbara design studio!

Nicole joined CJM::LA in 2016. With both Masters of Landscape Architecture and City and Regional Planning degrees, she has brought expertise in urban planning, resource management and landscape architectural design to the CJM::LA team. This interdisciplinary background has enabled her to bring forward not only innovative design solutions, but also strategic planning solutions to help guide our projects through the entitlement, permitting and construction processes.

Over the past three years, Nicole has demonstrated her leadership capabilities through the implementation of a number of contributions to CJM::LA and our extended community. Her role as a board member of the Ventura Botanical Gardens has allowed her to advocate for climate-appropriate design and resilience. Her involvement in our studio has resulted in a collaborative design approach that prioritizes environmental, economic and social sustainability to the benefit of our community and clients. Nicole pushes herself and others to take risks, innovate and surpass conventional design roles and traditions.

In her new role as Associate Principal and Director of Operations, Nicole will lead our design team in the implementation of a series of objectives to help better streamline our workflow and expand our creative output. She and our President, Courtney Jane Miller, will continue to push the boundary of the expected as they lead CJM::LA towards a successful future.

CJM::LA Team Expands!

We are excited to announce the return of our Design Intern, Mariella Dentzel, at our Santa Barbara design studio!

Mariella comes to us with experience in product, furniture and installation design and fabrication.  While at CJM::LA, she has begun to apply the creative problem solving skills she developed as part of her degree in product design to the field of landscape architecture.  Mariella values the sense of place that successful designed spaces bring to our collective experience of the environment around us.  In her free time, Mariella enjoys exploring new environments on her bike and climbing mountains!

AIASB ARCHITECTOURS 2018 | FEATURING NEW WORK BY CJM::LA

CJM::LA’s recently completed Arlington Village property, as well as our in-progress adaptive reuse property will be featured on this year’s AIASB ArchitecTours!

The Santa Barbara AIA’s annual ArchitecTours, a celebration of local architecture, will showcase the architectural fabric of downtown Santa Barbara, including new and recently completed properties in the downtown core.  The theme of this year’s ArchitecTours is ‘Rediscover Downtown Santa Barbara: Imagine How You Can Live, Work & Play’.

Arlington Village Apartments | 1330 Chapala Street

Adaptive Reuse | 418 State Street

Each of the twelve projects showcase the best of downtown and include a mix of commercial and residential projects demonstrating how we live in downtown Santa Barbara.  This event draws attention to the extraordinary architectural legacy in Santa Barbara and the value of well-designed architecture to its surrounding community.  Equally, ArchitecTours highlights the expertise that AIA architects (and Landscape Architects!) possess including a thorough understanding and expertise in urban design, sustainability, accessibility, structural improvements, building materials, and historic renovation.

The tour will be held this Saturday October 6th from 10am – 4pm and will culminate with a festive party.

Tickets are $80 for general public, $70 for AIA members and seniors, and $25 for students.

Tickets can be purchased here.

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.

CELEBRATING THE GROUNDBREAKING OF DIRECT RELIEF’S NEW HEADQUARTERS

On September 29, 2016 CJM::LA celebrated the groundbreaking of our latest commercial project – Direct Relief’s new headquarters in Goleta, CA.  We have been working with this incredible organization for the past two years to design their newly expanded office and warehouse distribution center.

Direct Relief Groundbreaking

Direct Relief is a humanitarian aid non-profit dedicated to improving the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergency situations.  They are the largest distributor of humanitarian medial aid in the world.  To learn more about their mission and reach, click here.

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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!

Crossrails Station Roof Garden

Read Full Article:
Crossrails Station Roof Garden
June 7, 2016
Landezine

Image courtesy of Jason Gairn

Image courtesy of Jason Gairn

Part of a new transit link for the city of London, the Crossrails Station roof garden celebrates the arrival of this new hub but also pay tribute to the neighborhood’s past. This exotic garden sits atop a five story mixed use commercial and transit center. The building’s exterior shell wraps the entire building with large openings above the garden creating a dynamic scene for visitors.

Click here to read more about this project.