Cleveland, Texas is located approximately 45 miles northeast of downtown Houston in the Piney Woods, along the newly expanded I-69 corridor. While experiencing rapid growth, the city also faces the challenge of preserving its welcoming, small-town character. In addition to its scenic Piney Woods surroundings, the community benefits from proximity to the Sam Houston Nation Forest and the Lone Star Trail, providing a strong connection to nature.

M2L partnered with the city to develop a citywide wayfinding and monumentation plan to guide and strengthen community identity and support long-term beautification goals. The project focused on establishing a cohesive visual language for public signage and identifying opportunities to enhance the pedestrian experience. M2L collaborated with the city’s branding consultant to integrate key branding and graphic elements into the built environment.

The process began with a detailed inventory and analysis of existing conditions, forming the foundation for recommended signage locations and design stands. The scope included designing gateway markers, enhancing intersections and creating unique identifiers for distinct city districts. The final plan, which included M2L’s vivid, high-tech renderings of key city locations, provides a flexible framework to guide future implementation and enrich the strong sense of place across Cleveland’s public space.