Comments on: Robert Bruno's Steel House

By: bobbyjoesam

bobbyjoesam — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:05:56 +0000

to everyone who has been doubting the interior finishes, acoustics, and whatever else: this guy has been building this house for 30 years, and he's not finished yet. he has a design for all of the interior finishes, and also has insulation taken care of, which covers acoustical issues. i mean, did you know that steel is used in most large-scale construction today, but for some reason you don't hear *krang* every time somebody knocks on it.

yeah, and architects and artists know the material properties of what they are working with far better than any of you, so you could worry a bit less for them and worry more about how much time you waste bitching about other people's productive lives

By: Kari

Kari — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:11:23 +0000

I had the chance to go into this house in 1995, before the windows were put in. This house is phenomenal and beautiful. I have since moved from Texas and have been anxious to see how the progress has gone. I am awe-struck by this house! Interesting note - he designed a house across the street that looks like a huge cool whip mosiac - also beautiful.

By: mishlo

mishlo — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:44:23 +0000

First, for Vonskippy's comment, "Architect - Latin for “I wish I had real art skills”."... Artist - German for "I wish I could find a way to use my talent to make as much money as an architect." Architecture takes more than just "fake" art skills, as there is a lot of physics, math and engineering involved. Erto, yes, Lubbock is conservative, but I've run into very few bigots, and my wife is from China. People are real here. As for the house, I've always been facinated with it, ever since I saw it about 15 years ago. It isn't a place I'd call home, but it is definitely an interesting combination of architecture and art.

By: Ali S.

Ali S. — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 00:04:38 +0000

I'm sure if you ever did knock on the door the vibrations and the echoing sound would probably make anyone inside go momentarily deaf. *KRANG!!!*

By: Carruthers

Carruthers — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 02:19:12 +0000

I imagine there are sealants that can keep the air off the steel and stop the rusting process. But he'd still have considerable noise problems in the house - if he actually wanted to live there.

By: Jerse

Jerse — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 22:56:58 +0000

That sucks. You can't even walk around the house barefoot or you'll get tetanus...

By: skh.pcola

skh.pcola — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:52:39 +0000

Austin is full of freaks, leftards, and racists who think all other Texans are bigots. Ten body piercings and 15 tatoos doesn't confer any remarkable insight to an individual, but they are indicative of a damaged psyche.

Lubbock, on the other hand, is chock full of people who know how to function in the real world. They are largely self-sufficient, and don't suffer foolish jackasses who think Austinites are the cat's meow. Just sayin'...

By: Sid Morrison

Sid Morrison — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 14:47:16 +0000

It does look a bit Gaudi-esque -- reminds me a little of the facade of Casa Milà, one of his more famous works.

That said, the interior doesn't look especially livable. It's evident he likes the aesthetic offered by rusting steel, but this doesn't really make a great surface to live in - brown flecks forever sprinkling over everything and everyone within. Also, something tells me that the steel walls, ceiling, and floors give the interior a wicked acoustic reverberation time. He's gonna need to read up a little on Wallace Sabine's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Clement_Sabine) work on this. I'm not sure how this would get solved w/o destroying the artist's vision, though.

By: ted

ted — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:18:52 +0000

As fara as homes go, it looks cold, cramped, and uncomfortable.

An excellent example of form muscling out function. Where does the furniture go?

It's an interesting design, although it doesn't look particularly porcine to me.

By: shani

shani — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:43:14 +0000

hi how r u aap ne jo kuch bhi likha haithik likha hai

By: Carruthers

Carruthers — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 06:40:58 +0000

Great find Alex! I never heard of this guy before. There's a real artist doing his work because he's compelled to by the love of the material and the possibilities it affords and the ability to bring his vision into reality through his technical expertise.

Like one of the links says - it's Gaudi without the ornament. But I suspect with the wonderful design of those large windows he has ideas there too.

This structure should be on the cliff edge of the Grand Canyon, rather than the rather bland flat river valley location Bruno has made it in. It must be a wonderful space to be inside.

Shame how some tiny minds chime in the comments here...

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 02:21:09 +0000

110 tons of steel? Wow this house IS valuable.

By: Vonskippy

Vonskippy — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:57:24 +0000

Architect - Latin for "I wish I had real art skills".

By: erto

erto — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:56:22 +0000

He finally finished?! Actually the place is about 30 minutes outside of Lubbock called "Ransom Canyons." Bruno has another house behind that one that looks it came out of candy-land. P.S.Lubbock as a city is way conservative and full of bigots. Austin is the one and only recommendation in Texas..

By: redphone

redphone — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:39:18 +0000

Unfinished still, presumably. Unless of course he only plans it to be shelter in the barest sense of the word... I wish the website was more explanatory in that regard.