RIBA Collections: spotlight on MJ Long

Born in 1939, Mary Jane (MJ) Long was a pioneering architect whose impact on the architectural landscape extends far beyond her time. Her journey in architecture began with the completion of her degree at Yale University (USA) in 1964, followed by a move to England to join Colin St. John Wilson’s architectural practice in 1965.

Over the years, she left an indelible mark on the field, culminating in receiving the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2009. Long passed away in 2018, leaving behind a legacy of remarkable designs including private houses, artists’ studios, museums, and libraries. 

A recent cataloguing effort by the RIBA Collections team has highlighted the pivotal contributions of MJ Long to numerous architectural projects, notably the British Library. In 1975, amidst the initial design phase of the British Library, Long faced a unique challenge alongside her partners.

The project, which ultimately spanned 23 years, demanded a design that could accommodate an irregular site shape, a north-south slope, and two tube lines passing underneath. Long's design, among several proposed by the partners, emerged as the chosen one. Despite subsequent design alterations and budget cuts, Long's original vision remained intact, as evidenced by archival plans and documents. 

Beyond shaping the building's form, Long played a crucial role in devising its internal layout and systems. Notably, she led on the design of the artificial lighting, book storage, and mechanical book handling system. Long's determination to overcome regulatory challenges, particularly regarding lighting regulations for libraries, underscores her innovative spirit.  

While the UK library lighting regulations strictly required absence of all shadows, Long believed this would be disorientating and lead to reader fatigue. As such, she pored over the designs, finding clever ways to reflect and bounce light that made the lighting less intensive, and created the warmer environment we have today. Her involvement in the intricate book handling system, meticulously detailed through correspondence and diagrams, exemplifies her commitment to functionality and efficiency. 

The culmination of Long's and many other architects' efforts came to fruition with the official opening of the British Library in 1998, an occasion marked by Queen Elizabeth II's presence. However, Long's dedication persisted beyond the library's completion. As a partner in Long & Kentish, a practice she co-founded in 1994 with architect Rolfe Kentish, she continued to contribute to the library's evolution. Notably, her involvement extended to designing the Centre for Conservation. 

As we celebrate Women's History Month 2024, Long's story as a crucial guiding force behind the designing of the British Library serves as a reminder of how, historically, women’s contributions can be overshadowed within architecture.

As more work is done to surface and catalogue architectural collections, the theme of female influence will increasingly come to the fore. 

Learn more about RIBA's EDI initiatives.

Further reading

• Long, MJ, Artists’ Studios, Black Dog Press, 2009 
• Stonehouse, Roger, and Stromberg, Gerhard, The Architecture of the British Library at St. Pancras, Taylor & Francis, 2004 
• The Colin St. John Wilson & Partners Project blog
• Long & Kentish architectural practice
• MJ Long obituary, written by Peter Carolin