Walking through an empty Senate chamber just now, I caught this blue sky peeping through the dome above, along with some bright sunlight. Idaho’s Capitol was designed with natural light in mind, pouring in through a variety of skylights, windows and light vents; architect John Tourtellotte believed that light was emblematic of good government.

The capitol restoration and renovation project completed in 2010 brought back some of those original uses of natural light; new underground wings added on both the east and west incorporated skylights to bring natural light even to the underground level. Idaho Public Television’s “Capitol of Light” website and documentary tells the story; you can see it here.