Think you know Texas? The Lone Star State is home to a variety of strange and weird animals, customs, rules, people, and bizarre places to visit. One of those weird places to visit happens to be all the way out in West Texas near the city of Lubbock–the Bruno Steel House.
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Standing on four legs and three levels high the legendary Robert Bruno Steel House is one of the most unique homes in Texas. Although this weird house isn’t normally open to visitors, we got an exclusive peek from one of our readers who shared her experience and photos with us. Here’s An Exclusive Look Inside The Robert Bruno Steel House:
About Bruno Steel House Near Lubbock, Texas
Although some misinformed people may call Lubbock the most boring town in America, this West Texas town is far from dull with a vibrant arts community, a top-ranked state university, some of the best medical care in the country, as well as breathtaking natural beauty including two canyons.
The area is also home to one of the most unique homes in all of Texas–the Bruno Steel House located in nearby Ransom Canyon.
Built by Robert Bruno over the course of 30 years, this weird house in Texas defies all description. Is it a pig? Is it a spaceship? Bruno designed and built the home himself working on sections of the home for months at a time.
Located in a residential neighborhood of Ransom Canyon, Texas, Bruno (who was a professor of architecture at Texas Tech), said that he wasn’t really motivated to build a house, but rather something of aesthetic value.
“I’m not particularly concerned about having a house, ” Bruno said of the home. “I built it because I like doing sculpture.”
Standing on four legs, three levels high and made up of 2,200 “space” of feet and 110 tons of steel, the legendary Bruno Steel House was left trusted in the careful hands of Henry Martinez after the designer’s death in 2008. Martinez stays busy fielding visitor requests.
Video Tours Of Robert Bruno Steel House In Ransom Canyon, TX
- Robert Bruno gives a tour of this unique home in Texas and explains how he created his masterpiece in this video.
- Texas Country Reporter gives a tour of the futuristic Robert Bruno Steel House perched over Ransom Canyon Lake in Texas.
A steel sculpture by Robert Bruno is added to the Public Art Program at the Texas Tech University System.
Bruno Steel House Visitor Experience
Metroplex Social reader, Vanessa Jehangiri, visited this weird and unique home in Texas and shared pictures with us of her experience on our Facebook page. As a supporter of the local vibrant arts community, Jehangiri says she was excited to tour the Bruno Steel House after Vogue published a photoshoot titled The Final Frontier in 2013 featuring the home.
“When I heard there was going to be an opportunity to tour the Bruno House the evening of April 20th, 2015 I wasn’t going to miss it, even if that meant I had to take my family along with me!” Jehangiri said. “It isn’t generally open to the public so it really was a treat.”
Jehangiri is now sharing her experience with our readers so you too can see this amazing work of art that is also one of the most unique homes in Texas. Keep reading to see all the amazing views of this wonderfully weird house!
Bruno Steel House Tour – Ransom Canyon, Texas
By Vanessa Jehangiri
I had always heard about the Steel House, but never had the opportunity to see it. Although it is in a residential area you either have to know exactly where you need to go to find it or get very lucky and stumble upon it.
Given that the entire region is notoriously flat it is interesting that the house sits precariously close to the rim of the canyon in an exclusive neighborhood overlooking the lake.
Generally there is quite a bit of space between the houses, most of which are rather ordinary, especially in comparison.
The natural beauty of the landscape with tall sweeping grasses overlooking the terra-cotta canyon against the soft backdrop of an ombré sky in contrast with this otherworldly giant metal contraption perched on the rim of the canyon was a bit of a shock at first sight, but I imagine that was the point.
Much of the house is unfinished inside, the walls mostly the same: weathered steel as the exterior and the floors being either metal or unfinished plywood. In fact, it was overall pretty rough, and can be dangerous if you don’t pay attention to your step, especially with two young children in tow!
It is rather maze-like inside with multiple layers and levels of small cavities to explore, each one a unique vignette of the canyon.
Parts of the interior have this incredible cacophony of ridges almost like ribs from inside the belly of a whale that contort in often conflicting directions.
But much like the contrast of the location, the soft lines of the windows and stained glass accents balance the roughness. Despite the jolt of disorientation you experience walking through it–somehow it feels like a sanctuary.
As if its oddity is an invitation to spend more time with it, I would love to be able to sit down with a ridiculously oversized cup of chai, lounge back, and really take it all in one day.
One thing about Lubbock is that the sunsets and the “golden hour” are pretty magical (one benefit to all the swirling red dirt in the air). Although there wasn’t a cloud in the sky that evening, it didn’t disappoint when I pulled out my iPhone to snap some pics to remember the experience.
Where is the Robert Bruno Steel House located?
This unique home in West Texas is located near the city of Lubbock in the community of Ransom Canyon.
Robert Bruno Steel House, Address: 85 E Canyon View Dr, Ransom Canyon, TX 79366
Bruno Steel House Tour – Ransom Canyon, Texas
The Lone Star State is home to a variety of strange and weird animals, customs, rules, people, and bizarre places to visit. One of those weird places to visit happens to be all the way out in West Texas near the city of Lubbock–the Bruno Steel House.
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