Services
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
With 30 years of turning out an impressive body of work with strengths in parks and recreation, institutional and commercial design, and urban planning and development, M2L Associates is a small, talented and creative landscape architecture firm that produces big results. Whether leading a large project with many stakeholders or enhancing your team with unique local presence, M2L brings strong principal involvement, deep expertise, and broad experience across markets and industries. Our firm is dedicated to landscape architecture project excellence, closely collaborating with clients, partners and stakeholders to reimagine and create dynamic outdoor spaces that connect and inspire people who experience them.
- Low-impact design and development
- Open space design
- Universal design and ADA compliance
- Dark sky design and light pollution reduction methods
- Outdoor classrooms, outdoor learning
- Inclusive playground design
- Strong nature play expertise
URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN
Planning and designing urban spaces is more important than ever as we navigate complex and overlapping challenges of changing populations. Place making — no matter the form or size — requires a careful balance of project skills and a keen ability to gather, understand and incorporate feedback from numerous players and diverse community infrastructures to achieve a cohesive vision that exceeds expectations. When it comes to leading a complex project and overcoming challenges with dynamic solutions, we know how.
- Deep expertise across government agencies
- Transportation design and planning
- Light rail, METRO and TxDOT
- Stakeholder engagement and needs integration
- Road diets and roadway configurations
- Redevelopment authority planning
- Community plazas and parks
- Mixed-use development
TREE PRESERVATION AND URBAN FORESTRY
Landscape architecture firms often share a passion for preserving the natural environment, but few invest in the resources necessary to carry urban forestry and tree preservation expertise on staff. M2L Associates is led by one of Houston’s most experienced certified arborists, bringing more than three decades of proven tree preservation expertise and experience at the institutional, commercial and large-scale project level. When your project relies on preserving, moving or showcasing existing trees and foliage, you can count on us to protect and enhance your project’s natural assets.
- Tree protection and assessment
- Tree planning for sustainability and biodiversity
- Design for preservation and forestation
- Tree disposition plans and surveys
- Tree tagging and inventories
- Tree mitigation techniques to reduce environmental impact
MASTER PLANNING AND WAYFINDING
Large and complex projects require a comprehensive long-term plan to lead the way. Our master plan services have been honed over decades of developing and executing phased, long-term plans for parks and recreation organizations, municipalities, redevelopment authorities, land developers, site owners and managers, and more. Whether you’re a government official, board or stakeholder in the early stages of a new development or expansion project or you require a local partner with strong planning skills and execution experience, M2L Associates is adept at both leading and enhancing teams as they embark on and execute master plans of all sizes and scopes.
- Hike and bike trail planning and design
- Wayfinding signage systems
- Streetscape landscape planning and design
- Strong focus on historical and cultural preservation
- Entry monumentation
- Park system maintenance
HISTORIC AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION
Preserving the history and culture of neighborhoods and communities is increasingly essential to commercial and institutional projects. As clients seek to revitalize and renovate, projects often require careful research into neighborhoods, buildings and their former uses. M2L has strong experience gathering and collaborating with leading historians and cultural experts to bring a place’s compelling features to the forefront. We work closely with preservation societies, regulatory boards and other key stakeholders to ensure our designs respect and balance limitations and guidance while showcasing key historic and cultural details.
- Focus on research and authentic design
- Close partnerships with artists, curators, historians and thought leaders
- Deep experience in Houston’s oldest neighborhoods and landmark spaces
- Designing to balance nature and heritage
- Integrating public and private sector partners for optimal funding
LEED-SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
As governments and companies continue to promote efforts to minimize emissions and overall carbon use, project sponsors and stakeholders are looking to incorporate sustainable design elements into every aspect of their project. From smart water and energy conservation to innovative ways to advance the circular economy, our LEED-AP experts design to advance and optimize sustainability metrics while delivering dynamic, responsible solutions that make sense in the long run.
- Low-impact design and development
- Conservation and resource focused
- Permeable paving and parking systems
- Sustainabillity programs and certifications
- Sustainable irrigation solutions
- Maximizing environmental impact while minimizing waste
GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
M2L is a proven industry leader in supporting engineers in applying the latest green stormwater infrastructure strategies to achieve flood control, drainage and stormwater mitigation. As we seek to optimize public and private spaces to solve overlapping societal challenges, our deep expertise in both landscape and sustainable design gives us unique perspective on mitigating community flood risks and promoting wise water stewardship, both increasingly valuable to project owners and stakeholders. From incorporating nontraditional stormwater mitigation strategies like bioswales, permeable pavements and integrated site detention concepts to finding innovative ways to apply these enhanced mitigation techniques when designing parks, trails and roadways, our team is at the forefront of this crucial project application.
- Context-sensitive flood control, drainage, stormwater design
- Habitat preservation and restoration
- Rainwater harvesting
- Engineering and design integration
- Bioswales and biocells
- Rain garden design and construction
- Green roofs and rooftop gardens
DESIGNING FOR SAFETY AND CRIME PREVENTION
M2L designers understand the importance of bringing together project stakeholders to ensure critical safety and crime prevention aspects are enhanced and not overlooked in the built environment. With our certification in Crime Prevention Through Environmental design, also known as CPTED, our experts bring proven safety and security strategies to your project. When applied effectively, CPTED strategies seek to optimize natural surveillance and access control, territorial management, and maintenance methods to discourage criminal activity and encourage community ownership. With these safety and security measures gaining traction, cities and communities are taking notice, adding CPTED reviews into building codes and project specifications.
- Natural surveillance and access control methods
- Integration of active and passive security
- Territorial reinforcement methods
- Methods for reinforcing social behaviors and community pride
- Maintenance for more secure spaces
- Wayfinding and signage for safety and inclusion
DESIGN VISUALIZATION
The most successful project outcomes integrate the best of both art and science. At M2L Associates, we invest in the latest tools and technologies to assist in building consensus from project stakeholders and to fully conceptualize your project. From drone photography and video capabilities to the latest in 3D animation, we believe if we can envision it, we can make it happen. That’s why we integrate the latest tools and cutting-edge technology throughout the project life cycle, from research and gathering site information to creating stunning and impactful renderings. From the initial sketch to the screen to the finished project, our expertise combined with these state-of-the-art visualization tools help transform the client experience and bring your project to life.
- High-powered 3D modeling software
- Drone imaging for better site access
- Photorealistic renderings
- Improved project form and function
- Enhanced, immersive client experience
- Vivid previews improve decision making and client confidence
M2L BY THE NUMBERS
