The flexible, spacious, skylight-filled design is the highlight at Blankspaces, the brainchild of architect Jerome Chang. Open desks can be folded up to reveal an event space for 100 seated guests or 200 standing, the high-end chairs are ergonomic, and the walls are punctuated with three shades of blue fabric and shelving (to boost creativity).

"Every time I bring in a candidate or a client, they're always impressed," says member Dylan Campbell, a recruiter. "It feels like you're at a cool startup."

The first Blankspaces opened in 2008 in LA's Miracle Mile area. Nestled between Beverly Hills and Hollywood -- and located a stone’s throw from E! Entertainment, Style Network and Variety magazine -- it unsurprisingly attracts a community of those in the fields of multimedia and entertainment. (A second, larger Santa Monica location opened in June.) Social media events feature prominently in Blankspaces' agenda, with famous bloggers giving talks on starting successful blogs, acquiring advertising, generating revenue and hiring staff.

"LA technically has a higher percentage of independent professionals than San Francisco, New York, etc.," says Jerome Chang, founder of Blank Spaces, which offers virtual offices and coworking facilities in the Miracle Mile area (and in a subsequently opened Santa Monica space). "There are probably more due to the entertainment industry," he says, "Technically Spielberg is a freelancer."

Knowing the independent orientation of LA's workplace, and armed with a personal needs, Chang set out to spearhead his business which launched in 2008. He dreamed of opening his own architecture firm. "I noticed many people were working out of Starbucks, libraries, etc. so I expanded my concept to accommodate some 30-40 people." And so Blank Spaces was born.

"BLANKSPACES, the coworking space run by Jerome Chang, is getting set to open up a second location in Santa Monica in the next week, along 2nd street. The coworking operator said it will have over 20 offices and 65 workstations in its new location near the 3rd Street Promenade, located in an area populated by a number of early stage startups, venture capitalists, and others in the high tech business."

"Jerome Chang, who runs Blankspaces, says the shared space is the modern answer to cybercafes, which came and left when Starbucks and other places began offering free Wi-Fi. Operating from a cafe, however, has proved to have downsides."

"You may not get an outlet or can't find a quiet space to call a client," Chang says. "What they want is an office that's more affordable and flexible."

[Chang] "Comaraderie. I think you have to share similar ideologies with the people in your company or office. Fortunately here, most people are like-minded individuals. They’re usually some kind of freelancer or entrepreneur, and their goal is simply to do better."