Architect and sculptor, or as he describes himself on his website "Architectural sculptor and artist", Robert Bruno created the "Steel House" over the course of many years. Part residence part sculpture the "Steel House" is located overlooking Ransom Canyon Lake in the city of Ransom Canyon around 15 miles east of Lubbock, TX.
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Bruno started the project in 1973 after taking a teaching job at Texas Tech and moving from Mexico to Lubbock. Over the years the structure grew and morphed and became so much more than the originally envisioned single story residence. The construction was all undertaken by Bruno himself. No architects, though of course he is one, no builders, no welders no nobody; just himself toiling over the years in the harsh Texas climate. The design was a fluid concept; unlike most construction projects which have a distinct design phase and then a building phase where the "fixed" design is brought to life the "Metal House" was in design for all of its 35 years of construction.
If you like it grew, under the ever present watchful eye of its creator, rather than "was built". Though crafted mainly in metal the building, with its flowing lines rather than a typical angular construction, also includes stained glass creations and other manifestations of Bruno's creative muse. The residence can really not be put into any defined architectural class though you could argue that if mankind ever masters travel to the stars he might well see a city somewhere around Alpha Centauri filled with Bruce like buildings.
At the time of his passing in 2008 Bruno had only very recently moved into the "Steel House" or, as it is often known locally the "Metal Mansion", which had been some 35 years in the making; a testament to the determination, commitment and passion the man felt for his labor of love. Asked about the move and its timing Bruno was reputed to have responded that it was simply that his lease was up on his previous residence and nothing to do with reaching a particular point in construction.
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