
VIA ROCA
In Progress
Project Type
Commercial, Retail
Client
Runyon Group
Collaborators
Flowers & Associates | Civil Engineering
Cearnal Collective | Architect
Lead Designer
Courtney Jane Miller
Brooks Mikkelsen




We’ve been invited to enter our Via Tranquila Residence in the 2026 LUXE Interior + Design RED Readers’ Choice Awards! We would be so grateful for your support in helping us win in the Landscape Architecture category.
Click HERE to vote for CJM::LA!
Located on the central coast of California, this steeply sloped property was transformed from obsolete ranch to modern refuge. Floating above restored Oak grasslands, a new midcentury-inspired home is oriented to capture stunning mountain views to the east and peek-a-boo ocean views to the west. Existing majestic Deodar Cedars define the driveway approach, guiding visitors on a winding uphill climb to the main residence. Living areas are organized around a central pool and courtyard planted with old growth Olive trees. Large stacking glass doors fully open to engage the adjacent landscape, seamlessly integrating interior and exterior spaces. The planting design is refined and curated with distinct gardens, each with its own character: native Oak woodland, native Oak grassland, Australian Zen garden, Mediterranean courtyard, and South African succulent collection. Existing hazardous eucalyptus trees and high water-use lawn have been removed, making way for new drought-tolerant and fire-resistant Coast Live Oak plant communities. The resulting landscape is ecologically functional, resilient, and vibrant. The restrained architectural form of the building is softened by the myriad textures and soft blue greens in the landscape, conveying an enduring sense of tranquility and effortless beauty.
Our project is entitled ‘Tranquility and Resilience’.
Voting closes on Friday, January 23.
Click HERE to vote for CJM::LA!
Thank you for your support!
Woodrat Theater, our collaborative project with MISC Workshop for the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, is now complete and thriving! Selected as part of the Backcountry Casitas competition, this innovative outdoor playhouse has become a beloved feature of the garden since it’s completion in summer of 2024 – engaging children and adults alike in creative play and immersive learning.

Woodrat Theater provides a dynamic space for storytelling, exploration and environmental education. Families, educators, and visitors have embraced the structure, using it as a stage for imaginative performances and as a general gathering place to connect with nature. Designed with sustainability and resourcefulness in mind, the project continues to inspire conversations about the intersection of design, ecology and play.
We are proud to see Woodrat Theater making a meaningful impact in the community and we look forward to seeing how it continues to evolve!
We’re excited to announce that Woodrat Theater has been selected as one of the new Backcounty Casitas as part of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s 2024 design competition! This open call for proposals occurs every two years, and celebrates the beauty of the outdoors through temporary and unique outdoor playhouses within the garden’s immersive Backcountry area.
A true collaborative effort, our office assisted MISC Workshop in refinements to the design and produced the renderings which ultimately led to a winning proposal. Developed by Jianhua Chen, the renderings tell the story of the design and how children (and adults) might interact with the theater.