A Day With Our Historical Columnist Kate Reggev

Kate on site at NYPL on 42nd street, with the mask up and hard hat on.

Kate Reggev is an architect and architectural historian. She is an Associate at Beyer Blinder Belle, as well as our very own historical columnist. Her day involves a morning walk, lots of Revit and Microsoft Teams, her work with Preservation Alumni, and a hot chocolate treat.

8:00am: I am aware that most productive, type A people in the world seem to all be morning people who live for their 6am alarm clocks, but I, for better or worse, am distinctly not part of that club. I’m no longer a particularly late sleeper, either (goodbye, bad habits picked up in grad school!) but the idea of knitting or leisurely reading a book before work is, frankly, something I can only aspire to, so I’m usually in bed until 7:45 or 8am.

8:30am: By this point I’ve usually gotten myself ready for the day: the bed is made, I’ve put on real clothes (no pajamas or, until recently because of my current circumstances, even athleisure), and have put on perfume but no makeup — my sense of smell is on overdrive these days (more on that later). At the very least, smelling nice makes me feel more put together.

Kate says that even she has succumbed to the “I-need-to-update-my-apartment” pandemic trend.

My husband (the early riser of our dynamic duo) and I step outside for a walk before work, usually down the block to a nice park with a dog run. We’re big on dog analysis: who is being particularly playful, who is looking friendly or athletic that morning, which ones are our favorites. I’m allergic to dogs, so this is usually as close as I can get to my furry friends.

9:00am: I start my day going through emails and opening up my project in Revit while having some hot water or herbal tea with my breakfast. I’m pregnant (!) and we’re expecting our first child in June (hence my crazy-strong sense of smell and resorting to athleisure as semi-acceptable work-from-home wear), so I try to save my daily restricted caffeine intake for chocolate or an afternoon tea. I’ve never been a coffee drinker, so it doesn’t feel like a big sacrifice.

11:00am: I might have a weekly video catch-up on Teams with my project team to check in with where everyone is, get updates on client decisions, and more. It’s a nice time to see how everyone’s weekend went, see some familiar faces, and connect with my colleagues. Recently I’ve averaged going into the office about once or twice a month; over the summer I had lots of site visits for projects that were in construction, but otherwise I’ve been working from home since March.

I’ve really missed seeing my coworkers over the past year, but to be honest, being pregnant during the pandemic has had some benefits. I had a really rough first trimester and the idea of suffering on the subway and bearing through the horrible nausea while sitting at my desk, pretending everything is totally fine, sounds virtually impossible (how do so many women do it?! You are all superwomen!!). I’m grateful and very fortunate to have a job and work in an office where working from home has been possible, but I know that hasn’t been the case for many this past year.

1:00pm: I always try to step away from my screen for lunch and get some fresh air. Usually I’ll go for a walk around the neighborhood and listen to a podcast (I’m addicted). I try to find something new about my neighborhood every time I step out — a new display in a neighborhood storefront, a lovely brick pattern on a building. It’s the little things, these days, that help me distinguish one day from another.

If I don’t pick up lunch during my walk, I’ll make myself something quick and easy — a salad, pasta, or some soup, usually accompanied by a flavored seltzer, my go-to pregnancy drink.

“We managed to spend Christmas in my husband's native Paris and enjoyed exploring the city free of tourists, including the spectacular Hotel de Sully, pictured here.”

3:00pm: In the afternoon I might have another couple meetings for various projects, either internal team calls or coordination meetings with consultants and clients. Since I’m both an architect and a historian/researcher at BBB, I often have one or two major projects that I’m working on long-term as an architect — usually cultural/ institutional projects or ones that have some preservation component to them — and a few smaller ones where I’m doing some kind of historical research, report writing, or documentation on an existing building. I love working on multiple projects and having something different to do every day, and it’s a great way to touch lots of projects in different sectors and form relationships with people across the different studios in BBB’s New York office.

4:30pm: My husband passes through the living/dining room/my work area to the kitchen and gently reminds me of my horrible posture, which I promptly correct and maintain for about 3 minutes. It feels like the right time for a snack, so I make myself a hot chocolate — the ideal pregnancy treat (or so I tell myself) because it combines a little bit of caffeine, sugar, and calcium. I do a quick stretch and walk around the apartment to get another standing hour on my AppleWatch.

6:30pm: Work is done for the day, and I hop onto a call for Preservation Alumni, a non-profit where I’m the current Vice President. We discuss upcoming events and lectures, our ongoing mentorship program, and a few other topics. I might take the call while yes, on yet another walk. What can I say, I love my apartment but I am constantly ready to see something new. Plus, all the walking is good exercise — something that continues to be important to me during pregnancy. If I didn’t have this call, I might have either gone for a short run during the afternoon as a late lunch break or done a cardio workout at home to get my exercise in.

You can always find Kate in the cheese aisle!

8:00pm: During the first few months of the pandemic, I really enjoyed cooking — eating something delicious felt like a treat, something exciting to look forward to. But more recently, especially after the exhaustion and nausea of my early pregnancy, it’s felt a bit like a chore. My husband and I might make something simple and sit down and eat it together, discussing our days and plans for the weekend.

9:00pm: I do a bunch of writing and other work on the side in addition to my role at BBB — I have a monthly column, In Ink, here at Madame Architect, but I also write regularly for design-focused outlets like Architectural Digest and Dwell. I initially started doing it as a side hustle to earn extra money for my student loans, but I really enjoy it. I love writing, speaking with other designers, and working on pieces that help young architects get known for their new work. It’s been a great way to hone my design eye and refine the way I think, speak, and describe space and projects in general. I also do architectural research about preservation, history, and more, and have presented at various conferences and have a forthcoming chapter in a book due out later this year, so I might also be working on some of that.

11:00pm: I’ve put my work away and started to unwind. Usually, we’ll watch something light before we go to bed, like 30 Rock or The Great British Bake Off. If my husband is already asleep, I’ll put on a crime show — I am a sucker for their uncanny ability to solve each mystery or catch every villain. Very satisfying.

Simultaneously, I’ll scroll through social media, text a few friends, and peruse Instagram or the Facebook Marketplace for various things related to the baby: strollers, changing tables, and other random baby stuff you never even knew existed (baby gyms?!) can be quite pricey, so many people sell their lightly used items online. We’re trying to be methodical and minimalist with what we buy, especially since a lot of it will only be used for a handful of months.

Frankly, though, I’m still wrapping my head around how our lives will be transformed with a new baby, especially because I’ve been so focused on my career (and my health, friends, partner, and family) for the past… forever, it feels like! The next six or nine months will be a time of change: a new baby, more and more vaccinations, the possibility of returning to the office or continuing to work from home, maybe also a new apartment. Lots is in flux right now so I try not to overthink it and just take it day by day.

11:45pm: I aim to be in bed between 11:30 and 11:45, although I usually spend about 15-20 minutes doing my final unwinding: watching pottery videos on Instagram (very calming and educational for my pottery classes on the weekends), skimming the news, and doing the NYT crossword. Yes, screen time right before bed is not great, but… it’s where things are for me. I’m sure that will change come June and this Gemini baby!