Undeterred by waning demand for architectural services due to the 2008 Great Recession, Architect Jordache Avery started XMETRICAL (pronounced za-metrical) as a modern design-focused firm in 2009.
Owning a thriving design firm can be quite an achievement for an enterprising architect. Self-employed architects have more creative freedom and flexibility with selected projects. They also face the challenges of finding clients and generating referrals from completed projects.
A lover of architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies Van De Rohe, Avery saw a growing interest in Atlanta for modern home design with open floor plans, streamlined detailing, and an abundance of natural light. He slowly built a portfolio of traditional residential additions and renovations.
By 2014, the Florida A&M Architecture School graduate completed the construction of his personal residence as his first modern home. He placed the project on the Modern Atlanta Home Tour to help boost his clientele for modern design and to gain creative independence from Atlanta’s traditional housing market.
Brilliant designs, such as the Sanders Modern home in 2016, created a buzz during the tour. The architect blurred the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces for the 1785-square-foot residence on a small lot in Southeast Atlanta. Floor-to-ceiling windows, oversized sliding doors, and the use of dark hardwoods on the exterior and interior extended living and entertainment spaces outdoors. Omission of floor base trim and ornamental detailing generated heightened interior spaces. XMETRICAL homes have become an annual staple for the tour with subsequent projects including Overbrook, Antone, and Spring Valley.
While Black architects comprise only 3% of the field, Avery has triumphed over the challenges as a new firm and occasional biases from prospective clients. In 2021, Atlanta magazine named him as one of the most powerful leaders in Atlanta. XMETRICAL has grown to be one of the most in-demand modern home design firms in Atlanta. His portfolio has expanded to feature affordable housing, entertainment, and commercial office projects.
Recently, XMETRICAL earned a Merit Design Award from the Georgia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Georgia) for urban design, transit station design, and analysis with the Campbellton Road Community Investment Corridor project. The Ten5 townhome development in the Summerhill community taps into Avery’s multi-family project experience. Self-Made Studios, a soundstage and music studio project, is under construction in Castleberry Hills.
With a talented team of designers on staff, Avery is intent for XMETRICAL to create exhibits of great design for generations to come. “Architecture has the capacity to express the dynamic stories of our clients, unique sites, and culture. We enjoy the opportunity to work with our clients to shape these stories.”
For more information about Jordache Avery and XMETRICAL, tune into the Uplifting Places podcast hosted by Melody Harclerode on Spotify.