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Former Siege Of Paris Cyclorama

Other Name George's Hostess Store (Now Georges Apartments) Location 166-186 Little Collins Street,, MELBOURNE VIC 3000 - Property No B0471 File Number B0471 Level National

[1/1] B0471 Former Cyclorama

Statement of Significance

The building is nationally significant for incorporating the only substantial remnants of a 'Cyclorama' building in Australia. The building is also notable for the Moghul or Saracenic style of the street elevation.
A Cyclorama was a large 360 degree painted scene hung in a large purpose-built structure; only five were built in Australia between 1889 and 1893 by American entrepreneurs Reed and Gross, in association with local businessmen.
The Little Collins Street Cyclorama is the only one of which anything substantial remains. The 'Seige of Paris' Cyclorama was erected in 1891 to the designs of notable architects Lloyd Tayler and Frederick Fitts, with William Pitt, in association. The bulk of the building was an unadorned partly circular brick drum, while the street elevation, consisting of the entry and four shop fronts, was designed in an exotic Moghul or Saracenic style, appropriate for an entertainment structure, but rarely used in the nineteenth century, and few examples survive in Australia.
The building was lowered in height, and shops added c.1902 to the design of William Pitt. The facade was also greatly altered, but maintained the unusual style of the original.
The special non-reflective curved glass display windows installed in 1962 as part of the transformation on the building into Georges' "Hostess" Store (designed by Eggleston, Seacombe, McDonald), are individually notable.
Classified: 11/04/1994