The De Jonghe Residence, designed by Lloyd Wright in 1959, is situated on the hills of Los Angeles and presents a notable architectural presence. The structure is characterized by concrete molded into slab forms, wide eaves, and planned landscaping intended to be seen as an intrinsic part of the architecture.
The work began with a detailed exterior master plan, aiming to optimize the outdoor experience that the terrain already suggested. This plan included a 55 square meter stone pool, an elevated spa overlooking the Hollywood canyons, an outdoor fireplace, and a patio made of cast-in-place concrete. The materials used were selected in harmony with the original elements, utilizing stones from the same quarry and concrete details inspired by the texture of the house itself.
A specific pedestrian path, located between the garage and the garden, was designed as a conscious boundary, marking the transition between the workspace and the domestic space.
Inside, the focus of the restoration was on the quality of the house's wood: tongue-and-groove ceilings, wall panels, exposed structure, and original joinery. Each component was restored or rebuilt in collaboration with artisan carpenter Stosh Fila. A custom stained-glass piece, created by the Michel Architects team and manufactured by James Thomas, was added, introducing light in a way that dialogues with Lloyd Wright's relationship with this technique, while being unique to the house and its owners.
The partnership with AJ Canfield Landscape Design defined the landscaping strategy, resulting in a discreet yet high-impact architectural intervention. The new project integrated the pool, spa, and various garden areas, all harmonized with Lloyd Wright's concept of 'integrated landscape.' In all phases, the primary intention was to attenuate the prominence of modern additions, prioritizing the original architecture so that the historic residence remained a visual and conceptual focal point.
The clients, who are renowned international musicians and artists, sought a venue capable of hosting memorable gatherings, evoking the golden age of Hollywood associated with Lloyd Wright, while also functioning as a retreat for rest and recovery. Access to the garden and the house is restricted to an exclusive walkway leading from the lowered garage and the adjacent music studio, a transition designed to reinforce the distinction between work and leisure.
The project aims to balance moments of presentation and breaks through the sobriety of the materials, the integrated landscaping, and a succession of private zones—including the outdoor fireplace, the communal terrace, and reserved living areas—which accommodate both lively meetings and moments of silent introspection.
It is relevant to note that the original house did not have stained glass. During the restoration, the need to separate spaces and filter light led to research into Wright's artistic legacy. Although the use of colors, textures, and proportions seemed appropriate to the architecture, it was not inherent to it. The approach adopted was more abstract than a literal translation, studying Wright Pai's color palette and compositional thought before simplifying them, preserving warmth and density, but moving away from the characteristic ornamentation of his work.
Instagram has implemented a new feature that allows users to replace the soundtrack of existing posts on the feed and in carousels. Previously, if a user wanted to change the music, they had to delete the content and republish it.
This new feature, called 'Replace Audio,' ensures that all performance indicators of the post remain intact, including likes, comments, shares, and reach. Meta, the company responsible for the social network, stated that this change expands the editing options available to content creators.
The update especially benefits creators and brands looking to modernize the audio of a post without losing the traction it has already accumulated. The music swap can be used both to follow current trends and to update old material according to new sound preferences.
To access this feature, the user must open the post, select the menu represented by two lines in the upper right corner, navigate to the editing area, and then choose the audio replacement option.
With the introduction of this tool, Instagram eliminated the need to choose between preserving the achieved performance or updating the content, allowing the soundtrack to be modified without deleting previously recorded interaction data. The platform emphasized that this feature is part of a larger strategy to give greater creative control to its users, seeking to improve useful tools for the community.
In recent years, Instagram has introduced features that have drawn criticism from some users. One example cited was a function that allowed editing public images using artificial intelligence, which was later removed by the company after an evaluation indicated that it did not achieve the expected result.
Another case mentioned was the launch of the 'Instants' feature, designed to share real-time moments. However, this tool received complaints from users who reported difficulties understanding its operation, resulting in the accidental sending of images to a large list of contacts.
