Located in the industrial area of San Cristóbal, next to the Vegueta, the historic quarter of Las Palmas, the new City of Justice is the result of a competition held in 2004. The brief described the intention of gathering all the different courts of justice, at that time scattered in different locations on the island, in one same complex. The winning proposal presented under the motto ‘Uno es muchos’ (one is many), sought strengthening the ties between the two adjacent neighborhoods, thus contributing to the urbanistic regeneration of the area, while at the same time offering an austere and balanced image to represent truth and justice, but without giving up its representative character. With a variable profile and a skin that wraps the volume following a rhythmic zigzag, the complex gives the city a new skyline: the scale of its edges are reduced to adapt to a residential environment of different heights.

The project proposes a structure that functions as a city rather than as a single building. With a built area of 89,677 square meters, the complex consists of four independent volumes that accommodate different courts on a same three-story plinth, connected to one another and linked by their assigned functions. The circulation flows are specifically designed to meet the needs of the different areas of court buildings: those of the public, the restricted access areas and the spaces where detainees are held. The depth of the floor plan is designed to let daylight and ventilation reach all the different workstations in the building.

From the outside the building reflects the circulation flows and movement inside the building. Upon reaching the large plaza that gives access to the building, a huge cantilever – an elongated, 15-meter concrete piece housing the district attorney’s office and the senior court – welcomes visitors into the building. The elevators, placed two by two next to the sea-facing facade, lead to the respective modules.

The courtyards ensure natural illumination and offer views of the sea from the workspaces. Along the east and west fronts, colored canopies of different tones protect from the sun and also reflect light, redirecting it to the neighboring buildings, which in this way receive filtered daylight. The rear facade is covered with a series of sheets that let air inside and also protect the privacy of the nearby buildings.