Maria Antonia Street is a historical reference for the University of São Paulo and a mark in the cultural and political life of the city. As the address of the Mackenzie College since the end of the 19th century, the Maria Antonia Street became a catalyser of academic and social discussions after the establishment of the Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters at the Rui Barbosa Building, on 1949.

After a violent invasion of the building, by a group of right wing students, escorted by the police in 1968, the Faculty of Philosophy was transferred to the campus of the University (Cidade Universitária).

The relevance of these events defined the desire to preserve the Rui Barbosa building, the main construction of the complex.

The reform and restoration project of Maria Antonia complex attempts to adjust its buildings to the new uses: a nucleus of contemporary art that congregates the University Center Maria Antonia (CEUMA), the USP Theater (TUSP) and the institute of Contemporary Art (IAC), – with diverse activities, such as exhibitions, courses, events and concerts, among others.

The project has its main purpose the affirmation of the public character that historically labeled this patrimony of the University of São Paulo. The proposal consists of the restoration of the main facades, keeping the original volume of the buildings Rui Barbosa and Joaquim Nabuco, thought it proposes a new relationship between the two buildings gains the dimension of public space, by its transformation into a small square. At the street level, this square is a natural enlargement of the sidewalk, and forms an inviting access to the cultural space.

At the lower level, a patio with tress seeks to relate the different activities, as a connection between the two buildings. It is also a living space, shaded and protected. Re-qualifying the open spaces, offering a more generous linking of the complex with the city, is the greatest contribution of this project to the memory of an academic, cultural and political movement, that had its location at the Maria Antonia Street.