São Paulo's MASP site was formerly an elite social hub

The site currently occupied by the Museum of Art of São Paulo (MASP) has a diverse historical background. In 1916, the Belvedere Trianon was constructed on the location, serving as a luxury hub for São Paulo's political, economic, and intellectual elite. The establishment featured a high-end restaurant, a confectionery, party spaces, and a ballroom dance school.

Following the coffee crisis in the late 1920s, the venue transitioned from an elite social club to a tourist destination. The luxury services were replaced by a bar selling ice cream and sodas, while the lower halls hosted a dance academy. The Belvedere Trianon was eventually demolished in 1951 to make way for a pavilion that hosted the first São Paulo International Biennial, eventually leading to the site's current architectural significance.