Tesla Motors LA Flagship Store is Red Hot & Green

Unlike a traditional car dealership, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/teslas-red-hot-and-green-los-angeles-showroom/" target="_blank">Tesla Motors' showroom in LA</a> is more like a sculpture gallery crossed with a hobbyist's garage. Renovated from a pair of old warehouses in the Westwood neighborhood by <a href="http://inhabitat.com/off-grid-vacation-home-in-californias-gold-country/">CCS Architecture</a>, Tesla's LA Flagship store is just as efficient and green as the cars they sell. A bold, bright interior shows off the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/green-overdrive-video-test-driving-the-tesla-roadster-2-5/">Roadster</a> and their other electric vehicles, then right next door is a pristine service area untainted by emissions, gas and noise. Energy efficient design and a green renovation pairs perfectly with the product they're selling inside.

Located on <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/santa-monica/">Santa Monica</a> Boulevard in Westwood, the Tesla showroom is far more than what you'd expect from a car dealership.

More like a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/teich-we-check-out-nycs-newest-green-boutique/">boutique</a>, it caters to its customers striving to give them an experience rather than just another purchase.

Visitors to the showroom are also treated with views into the service area.

Tesla's theory is that by opening up the service area and making it totally transparent they can educate their customers and get potential customers interested in how they operate.

More importantly, the service area is clean with little noise, no emissions, and no gasoline, it's like watching someone cook at a 5-star restaurant.

As far as for sustainability, CCS Architecture and Tesla worked in conjunction to minimize their impact and maximize energy efficiency.

The old warehouses were <a href="http://inhabitat.com/category/green-renovation">renovated</a> in 2008 to make way for the high-end car boutique and they also reused some of the old materials.

Skylights bring naturally daylighting down into the showroom, while a reflective roof coating minimizes solar heat gain.

Energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems and water efficient fixtures reduce water and energy use, while cross ventilation provides natural cooling.

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/teslas-red-hot-and-green-los-angeles-showroom/2/" target="_blank">Cass Smith of CCS Architecture commented</a> about the showroom, “The cars are beautiful, so the showroom is set up to be a boutique experience, where the intended rawness of the space counterpoints the sleek refinement of the cars. It’s like sculpture in a gallery.”

The Roadster on display in Tesla's LA showroom.

The store emphasizes style, efficiency and performance.

Floorplan of the LA Showroom.