Retail, Renovation
MGMT | Owner's Representative
Flowers & Associates | Civil Engineering
KAP Studios | Architect
Martha Mulholland | Interior Design
Cameron Hunt
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.
final rendering by Jianhua Chen
Private Residential
Cornerstone Landscapes | Landscape Contractor
Cameron Hunt
Private Residential
Allscape Design + Installation | Landscape Contractor
Courtney Miller
As part of our continued partnership with the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Landscape Architecture Department, early this year we hosted three student shadows at our office in downtown Santa Barbara. The shadowship program was developed by the Landscape Architecture Department Advisory Council (LADAC), which Courtney has been an active member of for the past ten years. This is a unique opportunity for students to visit professional offices in order to gain a better understanding of the profession as a whole and the multitude of practice types available to support their early career development.
Hosted by Designer Jianhua Chen, the afternoon started with an informal discussion and meet & greet with the team, followed by a property tour at our neighboring multi-family property Arlington Village. We then gave the students an overview of our projects, after which each team member shared what they are currently working on.
As a team, we truly value our ability to provide mentorship and professional development opportunities to students of landscape architecture. If you are interested in a shadowship, please contact us at info@cjm-la.com.
We are thrilled to announce that our Inn at Mattei’s Tavern project has been recognized by the Southern California Chapter of the ASLA with an Honor Award in the Historic Preservation and Restoration Design category at the 2023 Quality of Life Awards! This category recognizes constructed, site-specific works of landscape architecture that demonstrate the integration of historic value into the design process.
The new vision for Mattei’s Tavern has been years in the making, and we were honored to be selected as part of an incredible team to help develop a site design that respects this significant historic landmark while also bringing modern amenities to what is now part of the Auberge Resorts Collection. Led by Nicole Horn, our team collaborated with DMHA Architecture, AvroKO, RRM, True Nature, and Ann Kale Associates to bring this incredible property to life.
The existing Mattei’s Tavern building, five cottages, and thirteen specimen trees were designated a historic landmark in 2010. More than one hundred years prior, Felix Mattei built the original “Central Hotel” in 1886 for travelers transferring from the end of the Pacific Coast Railway to stage coach.
Careful study of historic documents allowed the design team to reimagine how this significant landmark would continue to serve as the heart of the Los Olivos community for the next one hundred years. Working with the surviving historic specimen trees, the landscape design pays homage to the rural western vernacular of the late 19thcentury with traditional Victorian-style plantings, expansive lawns, and formal walkways at the historic eastern side of the property. A new outdoor dining patio with overhead trellis was added to the Mattei’s Tavern building, in a similar style to the existing wood boardwalk and trellis at the main entrance. Visible from the dining patio are a new event barn, chef’s garden with painted brick planters, the refurbished historic water tower, and new event lawn.
Congratulations to the whole project team!
Hospitality, Major Historic Renovation
Southern California Chapter of ASLA Quality of Life Awards/Honor Award 2023
Hospitality Design Magazine HD Awards/Best Resort 2024
Strange Family Vineyards
Auberge Resorts
RRM Design Group | Civil Engineering
DMHA Architecture | Architect
Avroko | Interior Design
Ann Kale Associates | Lighting Design
True Nature | Irrigation Design
Courtney Jane Miller
Nicole Horn
Hospitality, Restaurant
RRM Design Group | Civil Engineering
DMHA Architecture | Architect
Henry Lenny | Design Architect
Nicole Horn
This weekend our team was honored with an award for our Camino Viejo Residence from Santa Barbara Beautiful at their annual awards reception. Congratulations to our wonderful clients, Chip and Betsy, for their vision and continued stewardship of the property; and to the Cearnal Collective for the outstanding architectural design!
We are thrilled to announce that our team was recognized by the Santa Barbara Beautiful organization for three outstanding properties at the 2022 Santa Barbara Shines! awards ceremony.
This project transformed an existing lawn at the front of a historic mid-century modern church building into an inviting courtyard and entry garden. Designated as a Structure of Merit by the City of Santa Barbara Historic Landmarks Commission, the existing building was constructed in 1958 in the mid-century modern style. Our team designed the courtyard and gardens to complement the architectural design of the building and pay homage to the mid-century era, while addressing the functional needs of the Unity organization.
This mixed-use infill housing project in the downtown core of Santa Barbara transformed an existing asphalt parking lot into a new multi-story development including 26 apartments and ground-floor commercial office space. Our team designed a community courtyard in the space between the new building and the existing historic Louisa Ygnacio House to accommodate residents of the new apartments as well as employees and guests of to the commercial offices on the ground floor. The decomposed granite, native California plants and Santa Barbara sandstone elements were selected to compliment the design language of the nearby Santa Barbara Historical Museum.
Together with the City of Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation Department, the CJM::LA team renovated an existing ball field on the Santa Barbara waterfront to address improved community programming, stormwater management and circulation. A circuit walking trail with exercise equipment, better lighting and biofiltration plantings provide a sense of enclosure while maintaining important sight lines for public safety.
The ArchitecTours is back in person this year, and we are excited to have two of our recent projects featured on the tour! Hosted by the AIASB, the theme of this year’s tour is “Celebrate Santa Barbara.”
From the AIASB: The projects on the tour this year include several unique residences; a contemporary cliffside home on The Mesa, a renovated modern farmhouse in Downtown Santa Barbara and two homes in Montecito that share a strong relationship with their natural surroundings. Also, on the tour are several historic building renovations including the former Hollister Family Office building and adobe. Additionally, tour goers will also have the chance to visit two new multi-family housing buildings downtown that offer a range of unit sizes and amenities.
The tour will be held Saturday October 1st from 10am – 4pm and will culminate with a festive party.
To purchase tickets, click here.
We hope to see you there!
We are honored to announce that our Direct Relief Headquarters project has been recognized by the Southern California Chapter of the ASLA with a Merit Award in the General Design category at the 2021 Quality of Life Awards! This year’s theme, “growing importance of the outdoors” celebrates outdoor space as a crucial part of our existence.
A collaboration with DMHA, the design of this new campus brought forward the concept of healing as a reference to our client’s mission as well as the ecological context of the site.
Led by Nicole Horn, this project has been recognized by multiple architectural, engineering and green building organizations for it’s exemplary design. Congratulations Nicole!
