Pump Up Your Productivity at 6 Industrial-Style Coworking Spaces in SoCal
Author:Pei-Lynn JuangCoworking spaces have started popping up all over the country in the last few years. They provide resources, classes, and, most importantly, the collaborative environment to help ideas come to fruition. We cannot wait to bust out our laptops (and chargers, and headphones, and notes aplenty) in these six industrial-style coworking spaces in Southern California. You grab the coffee, we’ll grab the snacks. Meet you at one of these cool spaces for an afternoon of productivity!
1. Brighter Collective
Brighter Collective occupies a former helicopter hangar and is located on the 450,000-square-foot Hercules Campus (also home to YouTube). The shell of the hangar is left mostly unmodified, which creates a unique, rustic work atmosphere (see opening image). Look up to see the intricate wood beams that support the roof tens of feet above you. A second floor was built in the hangar, which provides desks to work at and bean bag chairs to lounge in – we call dibs! The partitions between offices and the kitchenette are delicate and unimposing to minimize the disruption of the original space. Brighter Collective offers consulting catered to creatives’ needs, such as strategy, user experience, and content creation. 2115 West Bluff Creek Dr., Los Angeles.
The SEED Center | Photo by Q via The Great CompanyThe SEED Center | Photo by Q via The Great Company
2. The SEED Center
The Great Company uses The SEED Center as its headquarters, but it’s also a coworking and event space available to the public. Housed in an old warehouse, The SEED Center makes you feel like you’ve traveled back in time. Brick walls, exposed beams, and original wood floors from the early 1900s create a space rich with color and texture. The vintage vibe is evident in 1960s-style steel desks, long wooden tables, and custom wall sconces that emit a warm glow. Additional one-of-a-kind elements include a set of metal lockers picked up at the Rose Bowl Flea Market, chandelier made of mason jars, a copper baptism tub, and a custom hand-built 60” clock. The SEED Center offers coworking space, full kitchen, a stage and performance space, recording studio, and PepsiCo Culture Lab. The Great Company manages The SEED Center and offers branding and representation services for musicians and more. 1917 Bay St. Los Angeles.
Image from Real Office Centers.comImage from Real Office Centers.com
3. ROC (Real Office Centers) Santa Monica
The ROC Santa Monica is a blend of office and industrial space. Carpet and enclosed rooms offset the large coworking space positioned in the middle. Some rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows to create an open environment. Large wood tables are paired with metal chairs and conference tables crafted from colored pallet wood to give the space a rustic feel. Looking for another comfy place to work? Leather couches and “aviator seating” armchairs from Restoration Hardware are at your disposal. Columns are left in their concrete state and air ducts run the full length of the room in the exposed ceiling. In addition to the coworking space, ROC also offers individual offices for rent. Located in what is fondly referred to as “Silicon Beach,” ROC caters to startups in the tech, media, and entertainment industries. Visit their other branches in Newport Beach and San Diego. 604 Arizona, Santa Monica.
Image from Coworking Fullerton
4. Coworking Fullerton
Coworking Fullerton is a cozy 1,800-square-foot space with plenty of room to openly share ideas, have a meeting in the conference room, or take a foosball break. Wood beams and unfinished concrete floors lend an industrial look and untraditional office feel. The brick wall in the far back supports large windows that let in plenty of natural light. Coworking Fullerton caters to entrepreneurs and startups, and holds educational tech workshops on iPhone and iPad coding and hosts a monthly social media discussion. In addition, there is a space for kids ages 5-14 to discover technology in a fun way through after-school enrichment! Hello, new generation of techies. 111 N. Harbor Blvd. Suite 2, Fullerton.
Image from The Unique SpaceImage from The Unique Space
5. The Unique Space
The Unique Space is the newest creation of Unique LA’s founder Sonja Rasula. The Unique team has transformed an old factory with brick walls, wood floors, and tall ceilings into a functional coworking space perfect for designers, creatives, artists, and entrepreneurs. The picture above shows the space prior to a lengthy decorating process, which is just about finished. Personal touches include wallpapers designed by Sonja herself, Cavern wallpaper, and Brian Rea (former art director of The NY Times). The Unique Space features private offices, a kitchen, lounge, boardroom, library, yoga studio, and a rooftop with a prime view of downtown. The coworking space, private offices, and event space are all available to rent for your next big soiree. 1275 E. 6th St. Los Angeles.
Image from Kleverdog Coworking on Google+
6. Kleverdog Coworking
Kleverdog Coworking is a modern industrial space located in the heart of Chinatown. Brightly painted walls contrast with the dark ceiling and wood columns. Private offices and conference rooms face the main coworking space and are completely transparent on one side. A long wood table in the center that seats 12 encourages people to exchange ideas and experiences. It’s easy and affordable to get to – Kleverdog Coworking offers membership perks like 75% off Metro TAP Card and a zero sign-up fee for Zipcar. “Startup Therapy,” “Networking 101,” and socials are some of their notable events that connect like-minded workers and foster relationships within the community. 418 Bamboo Ln Old Chinatown Central Plaza Los Angeles.
