MJ Long

MJ Long
Born
Mary Jane Long

July 31, 1939
Summit, New Jersey
Died (aged 79)
Alma materYale University
OccupationArchitect
SpouseSir Sandy Wilson
Children2
PracticeLong & Kentish
BuildingsBritish Library

National Maritime Museum Cornwall

Pallant House Gallery
Websitehttp://www.longkentish.com/practice.php

Mary Jane Long, Lady Wilson, 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 Sir Sandy Wilson.[1] She created a series of purpose-built studios for the artists Peter Blake, RB Kitaj, Paul Huxley and Frank Auerbach, later documenting these in a book.[2][3] 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.[4][5] With Wilson, she also co-designed Spring House/Cornford House (1965) in Cambridge, for Christopher Cornford.[6]

Early life and education

A photograph of the British Library showing a blue sky and red bricks.
The British Library, London.

Long was born in Summit, New Jersey. She moved to Montreal, where she attended Westmount High School, graduating first 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.

Notable works

MJ Long was commissioned by RIBA to design the National Maritime Museum, Cornwall.

Personal life

Bust in the British Library

It was at Yale that she met Colin St John Wilson (Sandy), and in 1965 joined his newly formed architecture practice in London. The couple married in 1972.[1] She had two children.[7]

See also

Long & Kentish website (external link) http://www.longkentish.com/practice.php

Bibliography

  • Long, MJ (2003). The architects' story: National Maritime Museum Cornwall. London: Long & Kentish architects.ISBN 9780954389505.
  • Long, MJ (2009). Artists' studios. London: Black Dog. ISBN 9781906155728
  • Wilson, Colin St John and MJ Long (2008). Kitaj: the architects. London: Black Dog. ISBN 9781906155445

References

  1. ^ a b Peter Carolin (18 September 2018). "MJ Long obituary". Guardian. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  2. ^ Richard Waite (5 September 2018). "'Inspirational' British Library architect MJ Long dies, aged 79". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  3. ^ Long, MJ (2009). Artists' studios. London: Black Dog. ISBN 9781906155728.
  4. ^ Edwin Heathcote (21 September 2018). "MJ Long, architect, 1939-2018". Financial Times. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  5. ^ Hopkirk, Elizabeth. "MJ Long (1939-2018)". Building Design. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  6. ^ Ewan Harrison (May 2020). "Building of the month: May 2020 – Cornford House, Cambridge". Twentieth Century Society. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  7. ^ Deborah Saunt (17 September 2018). "M J Long, 1939-2018". Riba Journal. Retrieved 24 October 2018.


Stub icon

This article about a United States architect or architectural firm is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.