Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Rienzi Restoration and Conversion

Rienzi was originally designed by nationally acclaimed architect John Staub and built in 1954 as the home of Harris Masterson III and his wife, Carroll Sterling Masterson. After the Mastersons donated their home to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Bellows team restored Rienzi and transformed the 11,000-sf home into a museum, doing extensive work throughout the masonry structure and expansive grounds. This included converting the swimming pool into a reflecting fountain, demolition and replacement of 1,000 sf of terrazzo terraces, mechanical alterations, ultraviolet light filtrations, and replacing finishes.