L.A.’s Helios House: Gas gets glamorous.

The Helios House, a “green” gas station by Johnston Marklee & Associates in L.A. Built in 2007. (Photos by C-M.)

Oh, the architectural drama! I finally pumped gas at that fancy-pants Gehry-meets-Zaha gas station on the corner of Robertson and Olympic in Los Angeles. No scruffy guys in oil-slicked overalls here. Helios House, by Johnston Marklee & Associates, has the uber-hip feel of a thumping, high-end night club — and the name to go with it. The station brims with oodles of stainless steel and all kinds of “green” goodies, including solar panels, a roof with native plants (which we’ll have to take on the architects’ word, because I couldn’t see them) and energy efficient lights — all so that when you and your entourage pop in to fill up the Escalade, you feel like you’re doing good for Mother Earth (in a stylish way, of course). I wish someone would do up a 7-Eleven this way. ‘Cuz I’d really like to recreate this sensation every time I pick up my afternoon Slurpee.

See a really nice shot of the building here.

Click on images to supersize. More after the jump.

¡Qué fancy!

Even the garbage cans were architectural.

That’s my red rental Chevy I’m gassin’ up.

At night. Cue the music: