It often seems as if there are few bright spots in politics these days, but the enlightened renovation of a regional government building in Germany is offering a sunnier outlook due to an ingenious daylighting strategy devised by the Berlin-based Staab Architekten and the lighting-design firm Licht Kunst Licht (LKL).

When the Administration for Property and Construction of the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg set out to renovate its parliament building in Stuttgart, the State capital, its chief goal was to upgrade the modernist, reinforced concrete structure designed by Kurt Viertel (circa 1960) to meet 21st-century standards for energy, accessibility, acoustics, security, and safety. As part of the overall brief, the authority also aimed to improve conditions for the 143 sitting members of parliament, stipulating that daylight and views penetrate their Debating Chamber, a windowless assembly hall with a shallow balcony located at the core of the building’s second and third floors.