Coworking Isn’t One Thing: Inside the Many Models of Flex Space in Los Angeles

Coworking has a branding problem. Most people still picture the same image: an open room, a bunch of shared desks, maybe a ping-pong table. But according to Jerome Chang, founder of Los Angeles-based BLANKSPACES, that picture stopped being accurate years ago. Coworking, he said, has grown up, and it now spans everything from bare-bones hot desks to fully private, amenity-rich suites.

When coworking first emerged, the model was simple: shared tables, shared Wi-Fi, low overhead. Over time, coworking and the more traditional executive suite business, companies like Regus and Premier Office Suites, started to blend together. A typical executive suite dedicates 70 to 75 percent of its floor space to private offices, with a front desk and a formal, corporate feel. Many coworking locations now include private offices too, but usually at a lower percentage, often 30 to 50 percent of total square footage, leaving more room for open, shared areas.

The difference shows up the moment someone walks in. An executive suite tends to feel like a maze of hallways leading to numbered doors. A coworking space is designed to feel more like an open kitchen, where the buzz of activity is part of the experience rather than something to avoid.

Chang’s clearest way of explaining flex space is through the hotel industry. Just as hotels range from a no-frills roadside motel to a five-star resort, flex office spans an equally wide range of price points and experiences. He describes traditional executive suites as the Sheraton of the office world: reliable, functional, and a little sterile. Coworking spaces built around community and design are closer to the Ace Hotel, where the rooms themselves might be modest but the atmosphere, the coffee, and the crowd are the real draw.

The comparison goes deeper than surface level. Hotels succeed by combining flexibility with services and amenities, something an apartment lease cannot offer. Coworking applies that same formula to office space: short-term flexibility, on-site services, and amenities that range from a simple lounge to a dedicated wellness room, depending on the operator.

Coworking’s early identity was closely tied to the tech startup world, largely because startups needed flexible space and gravitated toward the collaborative culture coworking offered. That connection runs deeper than most people realize. Chang pointed out that the hashtag, now used across every major social platform, was invented by a coworking space founder in San Francisco back in 2007, a small but telling example of how closely coworking and tech culture have been linked from the start.

That link is still visible today. LA Tech Week, an event tied to venture firm a16z’s effort to revive the region’s startup scene, continues to draw attention to the overlap between coworking and technology. But the customer base has expanded well past startups. Corporate clients, law firms, and other traditional tenants now make up a meaningful share of who walks through the door.

For landlords and tenants alike, the takeaway is that flex space is not a single product to evaluate. It is a category with real variation, from amenity-heavy locations built for community to lean, private-office setups built for teams that just want flexibility without the extras. Understanding which model fits a specific building or business is the first step to making flex space work.

BLANKSPACES is one of the oldest coworking brands in America, founded in Los Angeles in 2008 by architect Jerome Chang. It is now the largest coworking brand in Southern California, built on a partnership model that shares risk with landlords rather than relying on a traditional lease.

This article is based on information provided by the expert source cited above. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or real estate advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult qualified professionals before making any real estate or financial decisions.

Disclosure: Individuals or companies mentioned may have a commercial relationship with KeyCrew.

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