This fall, we celebrate the retirement of Kitty Ryan, co-founder of The Narrow Gate Architecture and a guiding force in the merger that led to the creation of Joy Squared Design. Kitty’s career has been anything but ordinary; her story is one of trailblazing, purpose, and community. It’s not often that an architect has the opportunity to work on projects that are life-changing for their inhabitants, but that is the heart of what Kitty has brought to the profession.
A Trailblazer for Women in Architecture
When Kitty and her colleague Bob Wegener founded The Narrow Gate in 1987, architecture was still largely a male-dominated profession. Kitty had entered Notre Dame’s architecture program in the 1970s, just a few years after the university went co-ed, one of only six women in her class of sixty. Fifty years later, we’re joyful to see that number is upwards of 50%.
On construction job sites, she often found herself the only woman in a male domain, and the subject of occasional dismissive comments. However, knowing her value, the comments never deterred her. Inspired by her clients and the value thoughtful architecture brought them, she poured her energy into mentoring the next generation of women designers, encouraging young architects to claim their space in the profession.
Giving back to their alma mater, Kitty, Bob, and Neal Mongold, who joined the firm as a partner in 1997, participated in a supportive housing studio led by Professor Kim Rollings. For five years, they hosted students during their spring breaks, and Kitty took great pride in touring them through the supportive housing projects designed by The Narrow Gate.
“It was exciting for me to introduce our supportive housing projects to these students, get to know them, and follow their careers.”
Today, Joy Squared Design is a certified Women Business Enterprise in Massachusetts, a milestone that celebrates Kitty’s legacy and the progress she helped pave.
Architecture as a Vehicle for Justice
From the beginning, Kitty believed architecture could and should serve the common good. She and Bob launched The Narrow Gate not to chase for-profit commissions, but to work with those who too often lacked access to good design: the less-resourced, unhoused populations, marginalized communities, and individuals in recovery.
Her roots in Catholic social justice movements and the Paulist Center in Boston helped shape the firm’s DNA. Weekly gatherings with friends, which included Bob and Neal, held under the guidance of the Agape Community, to study the works of Dorothy Day and Martin Luther King Jr. inspired her to ask hard questions about the purpose of work. This questioning led her and Bob to create a practice where faith, justice, and design intersected, and later led to Neal joining them.
Over time, The Narrow Gate became known for its affordable housing, supportive housing, and mission-driven projects, which prioritized dignity and community. That mission lives on at Joy Squared Design, where every project is still guided by the belief that design can uplift lives.
A Legacy Marked by Empathy
Perhaps most remarkable was Kitty’s ability to build relationships rooted in trust and empathy. Many of her closest collaborations were with women-led nonprofits, often focused on supportive housing for women and families.
She worked alongside Abby’s House in Worcester, redesigning their historic building into an accessible, welcoming haven for women experiencing homelessness, poverty, or violence. She worked with the Lynn Home for Women to create safe, stable housing and a community for women rebuilding their lives.
And for more than 30 years, Kitty partnered with Pine Street Inn, New England’s largest homeless services organization. From permanent supportive housing to shelter upgrades, Pine Street became not just a client but a cause close to her heart. “If I weren’t an architect, I might have worked at Pine Street!,” she once said, a testament to how deeply she identified with their mission.
In 2015, Kitty was honored with the Nancy Nye Memorial Award from Women’s Institute for Housing and Economic Development (WIHED). WIHED was a women-led non-profit that consulted on several of Narrow Gate’s projects, serving as a testament to the impact Kitty had on this population.
Looking Ahead with Gratitude
As Kitty transitions into retirement—though she is currently volunteering her design expertise with Joy Squared Design at a local food pantry on Cape Cod — her legacy endures. The firm she co-founded has grown, merged, and transformed, but its core remains unchanged: architecture in service of justice, community, and joy. She will also continue to work in an advisory role to the expanded ownership group at Joy Squared Design.
Kitty’s influence can be felt by the clients she served, the communities she uplifted, and the many women she mentored. We are profoundly grateful for her vision, her leadership, and her unwavering belief that architecture can make the world a better place.
From all of us at Joy Squared Design: thank you, Kitty.
