Family huddled in their house. An extension increased it to 800 square meters

The family decided to make a radical change. They had their Victorian townhouse rebuilt and added a modern extension that opens to the sky. The Melbourne home was designed by Australian studio Mitsouri. Completed last year, this villa in the north-west Melbourne suburb of Ascot Valey sits on a long and narrow plot, surrounded by greenery and offering absolute privacy. The plot was able to accommodate a long swimming pool that was bent into an L-shape at one end. The blue surface is hidden from view when sitting in the living room. Architectural duo Melissa Lim and Matthew Murfett, who have worked together for more than 20 years, have a clear vision of the kind of buildings they want to create. Their homes respect the past, reflect the present, but are robust enough to be future-ready. From the outside, the ordinary building has glass ceilings inside that flood the interior with plenty of daylight. The main living floor serves both family and representative purposes. The secret is in the partially sunken basement, which has a game room, theater room, wine cellar, gym and a large garage with workshop. The pool wraps around the outdoor terrace and contributes to the self-sufficiency of the house. The unique bathroom overlooking the small atrium and the shell of the stone bathtub is a timeless masterpiece. Upstairs, the owners’ bedrooms and the guest room are both generously proportioned. The rooms have private terraces, sanitary facilities as well as dressing rooms with storage and extra large beds. The precision craftsmanship of all surfaces in the house is clearly the signature of Mitsouri Studio. They choose natural materials and rich textures because, in their opinion, it is these combinations that make a house a home.