Courtesy of Wythe Press Growing up in Alabama, I was well aware of the influence of the many talented architects at work in the state. We’ve had several generations of great classicists, but there is also a new generation of talent within our region fluent in a language that combines aspects of the more familiar historical architecture with a dash of vernacular charm and fingerprints of modernism, says Austin. As Ken Pursley says in the book, it’s an architecture that dumps together the Lego sets of modernism and classical architecture, and the alchemy therein produced is quite magical. Some of the homes in the book are more classical, some a bit more modern, but there’s a consistent respect for the lessons of history and architectural precedent. There are a number of architects working throughout the country producing work in this vein, and there seems to be a real respect among practices for the extraordinary talents at work today.
Jordache Avery has built one of Atlantaâs most in-demand modern architecture firms
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If youâve recently visited the BeltLineâs Eastside Trail, driven down Interstate 75 near the Chattahoochee River, or ridden MARTA near the airport, youâve passed a part of the city touched by architect Jordache Avery. Not yet 40, the Florida native has built a practice that is now one of the busiest boutique firms in the city, having completed more than $100 million worth of projects.
But success was far from certain when he arrived in Atlanta on the brink of the Great Recessionâa fresh college grad inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright in a city more enamored with Philip Trammell Shutze. Moreover, while storied Black-owned firms like Turner Associates and Stanley, Love-Stanley are nationally recognized commercial practices here, Black residential architects are still rare. So, Avery started small, by tearing down his own house.