Reichstag, Berlin, Germany

Foster + Partners' transformed Germany’s parliament building, the Reichstag. The work symbolises the Reichstag’s place as a democratic forum and a historic icon as well as Germany’s commitment to accessibility and the environment.

Working with the original fabric and its historical scars, it also represented a radical departure: within the Reichstag’s heavy shell it is now light, transparent and open.

The roof, particularly the landmark cupola, allows people to ascend symbolically above their representatives. The cupola drives the building's natural lighting and ventilation strategies with a 'light sculptor' that reflects light into the chamber by day and acts as a beacon on the skyline by night.

The building burns renewable bio-fuel to produce electricity at drastically reduced CO2 emissions. Surplus heat is stored as hot water deep below ground and can be used to heat the building. The building's energy needs are so modest that it produces more energy than it consumes.