Jockey Club of São Paulo and its architectural history

Before moving to Av. Lineu de Paula Machado, the Jockey Club of São Paulo operated under the name of Club de Corridas Paulistano, at the Mooca Racecourse, on Rua Bresser. The association was officially founded in 1875, but it was only in 1941 that the Cidade Jardim Racecourse was opened by Fábio Prado, the city's mayor and president of the club.

The city government's initial intention was to install the Jockey Club in Ibirapuera Park. However, Companhia Cidade Jardim donated a 600,000 m² open area on the banks of the yet-to-be-repaired Pinheiros River. The organization's goal was to promote a high quality of life for the neighborhood's residents through homes installed on large plots of land with gardens and tree-lined streets, creating the concept of Cidade Jardim. In partnership with CIA City, a London-based urban planning company that owns several plots of land, the institution ensured the environmental, sanitary and visual quality of the properties in the region.

The original architecture of the Jockey Club, including that of the Outpatient Clinic building, which will host CASA COR São Paulo 2016 , was designed by Rio de Janeiro architect Elisário da Cunha Bahiana. With an art deco style, the lines of the building seek to convey modernity and break with the excess of ornamentation of previous schools.

Between 1946 and 1958, the Outpatient Clinic and the entire complex underwent major renovations led by French architect Henry Sajous. The facilities were expanded and redesigned with more classical lines. Sculptures by Victor Brecheret added sophistication to the complex.

Today, the Cidade Jardim Racecourse is home to around 1,400 Thoroughbred English horses and has four tracks with 2,119 m grass lanes and a 1,993 m sand track that is used for official races. The venue also hosts concerts and has a capacity for 35,000 people.

After the exhibition, CASA COR will hand over the completely restored Ambulatory building, which, like all of the Jockey's architecture, is listed.