Yesterday the folks at Impromptu Studio graciously allowed me to interrupt them for a few minutes so I could put together a little test project.

My goal was to create an interesting virtual view of the space so people who haven’t seen it can visualize what it’s like.

Although a video tour would accomplish my goals, I decided to take a more creative approach. I wanted to “freeze time” a bit, to capture the space without the distraction of movement — and this way we get to pan back and forth through the space to take a closer look.

What do you think?

Image via Wikipedia Are you an independent business professional?

Do you work out of your home, coffee shops, or the lonely confines of a small office suite?

Do you long for the camaraderie of an office environment, the ability to collaborate on projects, or have others around with whom to share ideas and explore opportunities?

Then I suggest you check out coworking — an emerging new office idea where like-minded independent professionals, who normally work in isolation, work together in a shared space.

Becoming popular in larger cities like Seattle, San Francisco and Denver, the idea is spreading around the country, even to smaller cities.

Des Moines Coworking

I moved into Des Moines’ new coworking space, Impromptu Studio, a few weeks ago, and am really enjoying it here. After a year of relative isolation in an office suite, I have enjoyed having others around to talk to throughout the day, and am finding myself to be much more productive. (Apparently being holed-up by myself day after day was getting to me.)

OPEN HOUSE

If you live near Des Moines, and are interested in the concept of coworking, come on over this Thursday to Impromptu Studio’s open house and take advantage of a free day of coworking.

Of the handful of folks here so far; there are a few web/software developers, a game developer (more of the design side), a video marketer (me), and room for many more!

Hope to see you here!

Are you a good fit for coworking?

Coworking is great for:

• Designers
• Developers
• Web Professionals
• Marketers
• Writers
• Illustrators
• Animators

Last Friday I attended a meeting about co-working here in Des Moines. I was encouraged that things seem to really be shaping up for a new, exciting space where creative, independent professionals can coexist and collaborate in an open office environment. Daniel Shipton and his wife Abbie hosted the event to formally introduce their forthcoming space, Impromptu Studio in Des Moines, and to gather feedback from interested individuals.

Overall, I enjoyed hearing about progress, looking at some photos and video of the top location choices, listening to feedback from the others in attendance and just getting a feel for the types of people interested in such a space. Apparently this sort of thing is really gaining in popularity in more metropolitan cities around the country, and it’s encouraging to see something like this taking shape in our area.

After downsizing and transforming my previous business (which had a couple of employees) I have been working solo in an office suite for the past year — as a result, I have felt very isolated and lacked the camaraderie and inspiration found in a typical office environment. So I am really hoping this turns out to be the kind of work space I have been looking for!

It’s all happening quickly too — it appears they will begin renting out space somewhere in the downtown Des Moines area beginning in July. I plan to be among the first tenants, and hope to see more people getting on board as well. Maybe you?

If you’re a creative professional (designers, developers, writers, etc.) and tired of working amongst the distractions and isolation at home, or looking for a more professional and collaborative space than a coffee shop can provide, I encourage you to check out their offerings at http://impromptustudio.com/

Thanks to Dan and Abbie for taking the initiative to bring such a great opportunity to Des Moines!

P.S. The meeting was held at East Village Books. If you haven’t been to EVB yet, I encourage you to check them out! I was impressed! It’s a very nice book store with a very local flair. Plus, they can provide a venue for small meetings and events (and they even have free parking!)