Maison Ruuskanen, Neo-Renaissance building in Kyttälä, Finland
Maison Ruuskanen is a protected building on the corner of Hämeenkatu and Pellavatehtaankatu in Tampere, originally built in Neo-Renaissance style. The structure houses residential apartments across multiple floors with shop spaces at ground level, while later additions in functionalist style complement the overall composition.
Merchant Kaarlo Ruuskanen commissioned the building in 1892, with architect Lambert Petterson designing it based on a photograph from Ruuskanen's Italian honeymoon. During the Winter War, the structure sustained bomb damage, and repairs afterward blended the original Neo-Renaissance style with functionalist elements.
The building anchors its street corner with a striking design that merges residential and commercial spaces. Walking past, you notice how layers of entrepreneurial activity are visible in the architectural elements.
The building sits on a busy corner in central Tampere and is easily reached by public transport. As a protected private property, it can be viewed from the street, but interior access is not available to visitors.
The facade was designed from the owner's personal photograph taken in Italy, an unusual inspiration source for a 19th-century architect. This private memory from a honeymoon shaped the appearance of a central Tampere building.
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