MJ Long: Difference between revisions

| practice = Long & Kentish

'''Mary Jane Long, Lady Wilson''', [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] (July 31, 1939 – September 3, 2018), known as '''MJ Long''', was an American [[architect]], [[lecturer]] and author, best known for her work as a principal architect partner on the [[British Library]] in London (with her husband [[Colin St John Wilson|Sir Sandy Wilson]]).<ref name="GuardianObit">{{cite news|title=MJ Long obituary|author=Peter Carolin|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/sep/18/mj-long-obituary|publisher=Guardian|accessdate=16 October 2018|date=18 September 2018}}</ref> She created a series of purpose-built studios for the artists [[Peter Blake (artist)|Peter Blake]], [[RB Kitaj]], [[Paul Huxley]] and [[Frank Auerbach]], later documenting these in a book.<ref name="AJObit">{{cite news|title=‘Inspirational’'Inspirational' British Library architect MJ Long dies, aged 79|author=Richard Waite|url=https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/inspirational-british-library-architect-mj-long-dies-aged-79/10034833.article|publisher=ArchitectArchitects's Journal|accessdate=18 October 2018|date=5 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Long |first=MJ |title=Artists' studios |publisher=Black Dog |year=2009 |isbn=9781906155728 |location=London |language=English}}</ref> In partnership with [[Rolfe Kentish]] as the practice [[Long & Kentish]], she focused on designing museums, libraries and galleries, including the [[National Maritime Museum Cornwall]], the [[Jewish Museum London]] in [[Camden Town]] and an extension to [[Pallant House Gallery]].<ref name=FTObit>{{cite news|title=MJ Long, architect, 1939-2018|author=Edwin Heathcote|url=https://www.ft.com/content/16b370a2-bc09-11e8-8274-55b72926558f|publisher=Financial Times|accessdate=18 October 2018|date=21 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hopkirk |first=Elizabeth |title=MJ Long (1939-2018) |url=https://www.bdonline.co.uk/mj-long-1939-2018/5095403.article |access-date=2023-10-19 |website=Building Design |language=en}}</ref> With Wilson, she also co-designed Spring House/Cornford House (1965) in [[Cambridge]], for [[Christopher Cornford]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://c20society.org.uk/building-of-the-month/cornford-house-cambridge |author=Ewan Harrison |title=Building of the month: May 2020 – Cornford House, Cambridge |publisher=[[Twentieth Century Society]] |date=May 2020 |accessdate=16 October 2022 }}</ref>

==Early life and family lifeeducation==

[[File:The British Library - geograph.org.uk - 2228127.jpg|alt=A photograph of the British Library showing a blue sky and red bricks.|thumb|The British Library, [[London]].|left]]Long was born in [[Summit, New Jersey]]. She attendedmoved highto schoolMontreal, inwhere she attended [[MontrealWestmount High School]], andgraduating laterfirst in class in 1956. She studied at [[Smith College]] before enrolling on a four-year architecture course at [[Yale School of Architecture]], studying under [[Paul Rudolph (architect)|Paul Rudolph]]. It was at Yale that she met Colin St John Wilson, and in 1965 joined his newly-formed architecture practice in [[London]]. The couple married in 1972.<ref name=GuardianObit/> At Long's death she was survived by her two children and three grandchildren.<ref name=RIBAJ>{{cite news|title=M J Long, 1939-2018|author=Deborah Saunt|url=https://www.ribaj.com/culture/mj-long-obituary-1939-2018-sandy-wilson-british-library|publisher=Riba Journal|accessdate=24 October 2018|date=17 September 2018}}</ref>

[[Category:20th-century American architects]]

[[Category:People associated with the British Library]]