The Amurinlinna quarter is deeply connected to Tampere's history. The buildings, constructed by Finlayson in the late 1940s and early 1950s, have stood strong for decades, and the sense of history is still palpable today.

Property managers Petra Rusanen and Minna Cochrane share what makes Amurinlinna so special to Tampere.

"It's a real privilege to manage a site closely tied to Tampere's history. It's particularly important that these buildings have been preserved rather than demolished. The National Board of Antiquities has protected the facades to ensure the quarter's history remains intact," says Rusanen.

Amurinlinna is a familiar area for many Tampere residents. It is located in a central spot with easy access to different parts of the city. The beautiful, green courtyard areas provide residents with a comfortable and inviting environment.

The apartments themselves stand out for their attention to detail, with features such as the original, wide windowsills preserved.

"For example, Mustanlahdenkatu 13 has been fully renovated. The apartments were modernised while keeping the original facades intact. Residents get to live in newly renovated homes within a historic quarter," Cochrane explains.

The spirit of the era is also evident in the quarter's shared spaces, such as the laundry room, which, aside from the new washing machines, retains its original appearance. One of the most intriguing details of the shared spaces is the gym, which has been built in the space of an old bowling alley.

"Finlayson was a significant force in the development of Tampere, and they created much good for their employees and the city as a whole. Finlayson was like a city within a city, with its own daycare, laundry, school, and hospital. The bowling alley is another example of how Finlayson aimed to look after the wellbeing of its workers," Cochrane notes.

Cochrane finds one of the most fascinating parts of the Amurinlinna quarter to be Hämeenpuisto 12, also known as Impilinna. This building holds a significant portion of the quarter's and Finlayson employees' history.

Impilinna showcases the inventive and practical solutions developed for residents' lives in the old factory town.

Impilinna features long corridors with studio flats of 23 square metres on either side.

"These flats were primarily occupied by female Finlayson workers. Each flat housed two women, and space was maximised through clever solutions: fold-down beds were lifted up during the day to reveal a table underneath for meals," Cochrane explains.

Families, meanwhile, lived in the more extensive 48-square-metre two-bedroom flats within Impilinna.

While Rusanen's work as a property manager in Amurinlinna mainly involves ensuring the basic elements that contribute to a comfortable living environment, she finds that managing such a historic site comes with a unique atmosphere.

Living in Amurinlinna is a communal experience, as residents tend to stay long-term, something a property manager can also notice.

"The views from the quarter are absolutely stunning. Whenever I visit, I head up to the top floors to take in the vistas of Tampere. On a clear day, you can see for miles," Rusanen praises.