Ken Woolley was a prolific Sydney architect – but he only completed a handful of one-off homes, among them this island retreat in Pittwater.

Pitt Point was the personal residence of Aussie developer Brian Pettit and the culmination of the duo’s working relationship. Pettit first commissioned Woolley (a founding member of the Sydney School movement) for his project home company Pettit + Sevitt in the 1960s. In 1988, he called upon the RAIA Gold Medal-winning architect to design his own waterside home on the idyllic Scotland Island.

Pitt Point – now on the market via Modern House for $3.8m AUD – references Pettit’s love of sailing and was conceived as a cluster of timber pavilions built from robust red cedar.

The main house is set across two storeys, with cathedral-like wooden ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the terrace and waterfront. The Sydney property‘s all-white kitchen is original, as is the built-in cabinetry which subtly demarcates the open-plan living space. Upstairs is the master bedroom suite and a home office.

Two more bedrooms can be found in a second pavilion on the south side of the terrace, and the island property is designed with eaves and cross-ventilation for passive heating and cooling. Other sustainable features include solar panels and rainwater collection.

Pitt Point is just over 25 km – or about an hour’s drive – north of Sydney’s central business district, and has been used as both a main residence and a holiday home over the last 30 years. It comes with a deepwater petty and mooring, working boat shed and a slipway.

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