Robert Bruno is both owner and sculptor of a "back-to-the-future" home near Lubbock, Texas. For 24 years, Bruno has transformed rusted steel into an edifice that rests on the rim of Ransom Canyon. On four supporting legs that slim as they reach the ground, the structure appears to consist mainly of three cylindrical parts that bend toward the center, with each cylinder presenting an opening that will eventually become a window. Having spent less than $30,000, Bruno admits the house has been an aesthetic, almost spiritual experience rather than a practical concern. He has worked full-time on this, his favorite sculpture, and has had an assistant only in the last several years. Nearby, he and his family live in a conventional ranch-style house, furnished with Bruno's uniquely curved tables, chairs and bookshelves sculpted from dark, exotic wood.
Inside what will be 100 tons of steel and 3,000 square feet of living quarters upon completion, all the spaces connect. With only a few partitions, one can almost always see into the next room, thereby fostering the illusion that the house contains more than its actual space. Like the exterior, nearly all of the interior will be exposed steel. Bruno will use leaded glass for windows and clear glass for views of the lake below. A glass elevator with a glass ceiling will soon run up the middle of the house, treating its occupants to a 45-foot upward view. Plans include two bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, multiple bathrooms and numerous closets.
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