About
CommonGround Landscape Architecture, Inc. is a Santa Barbara-based firm founded in 2002 by Christopher A. Gilliland.
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About CommonGround
At CommonGround we specialize in residential, commercial, and civic design, construction administration/supervision, and public engagement. For more than 20 years we have been creating intelligent landscape design in the spirit of sustainability and green building through a comprehensive understanding of the many systems and elements at work in the landscape. Land stewardship and resource conservation are paramount in our design and in the construction process, and we emphasize use of drought-tolerant native, Mediterranean, subtropical, and succulent plants, as well as locally sourced natural materials.
In the end, we believe the success of a landscape or garden depends on the quality of user experience and the enhancement of the environment. Our goal is to create spaces that balance the man-made and natural worlds to provide a sense of calmness, harmony, and a place of respite from the increasingly hectic context of contemporary urban life.
Christopher A. Gilliland (CA Landscape Architect #4597) received a Bachelor’s Degree in Landscape Architecture from Ball State University in 1998 and relocated to Santa Barbara soon thereafter. He has 30 years of design/build experience in the landscape, including several years as both a landscape architect and contractor. Chris has completed a wide variety of projects, including hundreds of residences, native and food forest school gardens, sustainability and educational gardens, native gardens, commercial, multi-family, and low-income housing developments, in California, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Indiana, Washington, Rhode Island and South Carolina. Chris has traveled extensively throughout the US, Europe, and beyond on research trips, and for leisure; but always with a passion for understanding what makes successful outdoor spaces work for people, how those places affect the local culture and economy, and the ecological impacts of man-made environments.
Mr. Gilliland is currently the Chair of the South County Board of Architectural Review (SBAR) and served on the City of Santa Barbara Architectural Board of Review (ABR) from 2008-2012. He was also the President of the Green Building Alliance (GBA) from 2013-2017 and a member since 2003.
Design Associate, and Cal Poly Landscape Architecture Graduate, Nakos Sarkar-Frandsen is on staff full-time. Joshua Monroy, with 35+ years of experience in the profession, also provides additional design and drafting services. Bonna Hamilton and Tracie Steele are CommonGround’s bookkeepers, Scott Walther is our accountant, with photography by Holly Lepere.
Some of our Santa Barbara area projects
““Chris Gilliland is a superb landscape architect. He took our barren half-acre 30 degree hillside and transformed it into a natural woodland. His plans are imaginative and he is a pleasure to work with.” ”
““CommonGround has been fantastic to work with. Our project was difficult as we had to work through the HOA for many months and develop a final program that would encompass not only the pristine natural environment, but the vision the owner had communicated. Chris did a wonderful job of defining the exact feel the owner was looking for and working flawlessly through the demands of the association. Chris has a great ability to capture the final outcome and we are extremely happy we had CommonGround on the project.””
““Chris Gilliland of CommonGround created a beautiful plan for our yard. His design transformed our mundane grassy yard into an outdoor living area that is aesthetically beautiful, inviting and whimsical. Chris carefully considered our desire to design and implement a plan that is ecologically conscious (local materials, xeriscaping, recycling of gray water, etc). Chris has followed up with us periodically since the yard project was complete to maintain integrity of the project and provide 100% customer satisfaction.” ”
““Chris created an amazing landscape for our new home. The yard became almost like an art piece, causing surprise and delight as the seasons change and the plant colors and structures change with them. We wholeheartedly recommend his talents!””
““It was an absolute pleasure working with Chris of CommonGround. He listened to our needs and desires and used his knowledge and experience to give us the perfect backyard design we had been dreaming of.””
““Gilliland combines an artistic eye with solid knowledge of construction requirements. His projects conform to the site as well as the needs of his clients to create beautiful, as well as functional, outdoor spaces.””
““Chris was a valued partner in our landscape design and maintenance in Santa Barbara. Chris was innovative, dependable and above all responsive. He showed significant concern for environmental issues. We would gladly work with him again...””
““I have been practicing architecture for over 25 years and when I moved to Santa Barbara in 1998, I quickly became familiar with various Landscape Architects and their work. One of the challenging things in any project is to put a team together of competent and well-qualified consultants to assist the client in realizing their dream project. As an architect, it is imperative that a Landscape Architect be knowledgeable in plant types, irrigation systems, and have a sense of design that is commensurate to the current project aesthetic and wishes of the client. I have worked with CommonGround for over 15 years and have always been impressed with the level of professionalism, intuitiveness, ingenuity and design capabilities. They have consistently been willing to work with the client AND the Architect to make the project successful both in terms of aesthetics and execution. It has been a pleasure working with CommonGround and I look for the next opportunity to do so in the future. I would recommend them highly to anyone looking for exceptional Landscaping.””
““Chris is an exceptional Landscape Architect. He is detail oriented, patient with design, and has a well-balanced approach to practical problems. My highest recommendations!””