The Reactivate team has been proudly working with the community at The Langston Epping for over four years! This transformational mixed-use development, opposite Epping Train Station, has been a wonderful opportunity for our team to work across the entire lifecycle of a project, from community engagement and placemaking strategy development, right through to on the ground activations!
Engaged by site owners Cbus Property since early 2018, prior to construction commencement, over the last four years Reactivate has delivered ongoing place activations and community engagement beginning with The Langston Weekender festival in 2018 and most recently running Meet your Neighbour activities for new residents during winter 2022.
During lockdown 2.0, Reactivate developed a Place Activation Strategy for the completed project with a detailed budget to deliver the first 12 months of activations post-completion, as well as a budget for ongoing activations. The strategy focuses on resident and community engagement and social capital building, support of retailers launching in the precinct, connections to the existing community, stakeholders and services, and unique and exciting opportunities to provide connection to place for residents and visitors alike.
Since completion Reactivate has delivered some great activations to build social capital.
Resident Meet Your Neighbour Events
Reactivate organised a number of Meet Your Neighbour Drinks and a Morning Tea for residents between June and August 2022. Focusing on the diverse ages of The Langston’s community, the activations have allowed us to engage with residents and hear in a relaxed setting what kinds of activities they want to see in their precinct.
Studio A Pop-Up
Reactivate brokered a pop-up studio in a vacant space within The Langston’s retail precinct for artist Thom Roberts, an artist from social enterprise Studio A. A supported studio based in Sydney, Studio A paves professional pathways for artists living with intellectual disability, so they can achieve their artistic and economic aspirations.
Thom (aka the Burj Khalifa) LOVES tall buildings and towers and was a perfect artist-in-residence for The Langston. Throughout June 2022 Thom was invited by The Langston to use the vacant retail space as his studio, where he was supported by guest artist Simon Wheeldon. Thom named the pop-up project space ‘Pink and Green Mango’, and he played a big role in filling the space with colour and joy by creating artworks that shared his unique creative vision.
During his time as artist-in-residence Thom met with many of the Epping locals, taking time to read their crowns and capture their portraits at a series of lunchtime open studios culminating in a closing drinks and portrait night. Thom also had the opportunity to meet with the building's Principal Architect Farhad Haidari (whom Thom named Bert) and draw his portrait.
Following this residency Thom was invited to continue living his tower dreams by taking up a residency in another tall building with BrandX at Greenland Centre in the CBD – the tallest residential tower in Sydney.
We also have a lot of exciting things coming up over the next few months for residents, the community and the retailers as they start to move in.
More Pop-Up Retail Space Available
There is currently an exciting opportunity at The Langston for a suitable Pop-Up activity to take advantage of rent free ground floor retail space until December 2022. Suggested activities could be an artist residency, a shop or a makerspace. Get in touch via hello@reactivateconsulting.com.au if you are interested!
Bespoke Markets coming soon to The Langston
Reactivate has submitted a development application for regular fortnightly markets to be held within The Langston’s public domain, connecting Langston Place and Chambers Court.
To help deliver these markets, we are working with Bespoke, who we have worked with for a long time and who we collaborated with at the Flour Mill of Summer Hill Markets. We are now very much looking forward to bringing together another community focused market for the people of Epping at The Langston, so if you’re interested in becoming a stallholder, please get in touch via hello@reactivateconsulting.com.au.
The Langston Weekender Lands
Following the success of our initial event in 2018, we are excited to announce that The Langston Weekender will be coming to Epping again on Sunday 13 November 2022.
This year’s festival will be reimagined as a combined precinct launch, community event, retail launch and celebration! Stay tuned for more information and we look forward to announcing the line up soon!