Construcción de la Ciudad de la Justicia en Madrid: la más grande y accesible del mundo

«We are building the Madrid for everyone,» emphasized the head of the regional government at the Real Casa de Correos, in front of the President of the Superior Court of Justice of Madrid (TSJM), Celso Rodríguez, and the Chief Prosecutor of the Community of Madrid, Almudena Lastra, among other attendees, who were presented with the model of the future judicial complex detailing all the buildings and green areas that make it up.

The construction will begin this coming June and will have a 36-month deadline to consolidate 26 judicial headquarters previously scattered throughout Madrid. It will encompass almost half a million square meters of constructed area, with 40,000 square meters of green areas and emblematic and intelligent buildings designed by prestigious architecture teams, including vegetal roofs, vertical gardens, or buildings where natural light will prevail inside for minimal energy consumption.

As Díaz Ayuso has announced, by 2026 the buildings that will house the TSJM, the Provincial Court, and all the First Instance Courts will be completed. The following year, the rest of the jurisdictions, except for the Penal Court, which will be ready in 2028, almost coinciding with the arrival of the Metro to Valdebebas according to statistical projections.

Model at the Real Casa de Postas

From this Thursday until May 16, the public can view the model at the Real Casa de Postas, with visits from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and from that day onwards, it will be moved to the lobby of the Valdebebas interchange where it will be permanently exhibited.

The model of the project, nearly seven meters long, features a screen with all the information about the Madrid Justice City. Through a lighting setup integrated into the buildings, visitors can see where the headquarters of the TSJM, the Provincial Court, the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, the Deanship, and the rest of the judicial bodies will be located.

A large square of 13,500 square meters – almost as large as the Puerta del Sol – with green areas, a large fountain, and bicycle parking, will welcome citizens and professionals who come to it. It is expected that more than 33,000 people will visit daily. Initially, they will find the Superior Court of Justice of Madrid, whose unique design by the prestigious Lamela architecture studio will make it the image and emblem of the entire complex. On both sides, the Provincial Court, divided into two buildings joined on the second floor by a hall for major cases with a capacity of 200 people.

Next, a large central avenue of almost 10,000 square meters will connect all the courts, archives, warehouses, cafeterias, nurseries, and security facilities. Natural light and spaciousness have been prioritized in order to facilitate work organization. This entire area bears the signature of the renowned architecture studio Fenwick Iribarren.

Figures of the Justice City

The regional president has explained that the Madrid Justice City will be built on a single plot located in the Valdebebas neighborhood, next to unique public heritage infrastructures such as the interchange, the Nurse Isabel Zendal Hospital, and the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences. It will be less than 10 minutes from Adolfo Suárez Madrid Barajas Airport.

It will have a constructed area of over 470,000 square meters that will house the 378 judicial bodies of the Madrid judicial district. This represents a 61% increase compared to the total area currently allocated to these bodies. In addition, reserve areas will be created with an additional 30% space to accommodate the growth of the judicial system for approximately the next 40 years. It also includes 40,000 square meters of green areas, more than the Plaza de España in Madrid.

These dimensions make the Madrid Justice City the largest in the world, surpassing the Justice Palace in Istanbul – 300,000 m2 -, the Palazzo di Giustizia in Florence – 135,000 -, the Courts Complex in Kuala Lumpur – 120,000 -, the Justice Court in Paris – 120,000 -, and the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse in Missouri – 91,767 -.

All the buildings in the Madrid Justice City will be a benchmark in accessibility and energy efficiency, ten points below the zero consumption level set by the European Union. In addition, they will have designated separate and protected routes so that victims and accused individuals do not meet face to face during their passage through the complex.

Regarding digitalization, smart buildings will be set up incorporating the latest advancements in digital justice, robotization, and artificial intelligence. These processes will streamline the work of officials for their benefit and that of citizens and professionals.

Simultaneously, the regional government is addressing 90% of the 570 judicial bodies in the Community of Madrid in the 2023/27 period with an investment exceeding 830 million euros, whether for total renovation, partial improvement, or enhancement of energy efficiency.