Alfredo Prada Presa, VP Madrid Region

When I first met Alfredo Prada, it was just after the Madrid train bombings of March 2004. His department had been in charge of the excellent and well coordinated security response to those attacks. His office was highly praised for its actions, some of which had helped to save lives.
Naturally Alfredo Prada, a modest man, gave the credit to his team.

Several years on, Alfredo Prada is involved in a major undertaking, relocating Madrid’s courts and judical bodies to an area just outside Madrid known as Valdebebas. Prada is also involved in one of Spain’s most important urban developments, known as Campus de la Justicia.

I caught up with Alfredo Prada in his office just off Madrid’s Castellana a few weeks and managed to get his personal thoughts on this project.

Q: Where does the idea for Campus de la Justicia come from?
PRADA: The idea came from the necessity to reunite and unify all the different law courts/judical bodies in one area to better serve the needs of an ever expanding population in Madrid. The resulting population explosion brought with it an increase in litigation, and it was deemed important to centralize the 20 different judical entities in one area. The present and dispersed situation would not have allowed for an efficent and rapid resolution to existing cases. As a result, the idea came about to create what is literally translated as a “law campus,” the bringing together of all judical services in one area.

Q: Madrid is positioning itself as a center for international arbitration. What role will the Campus de Justicia play within this context?
PRADA: It is the main foundation in the promotion of Madrid as a center for international arbitration. The fact that a dedicated space will be accorded to these judical entetities and that the space will be archItecturally innovative and will likely become part of the national heritage is also an important factor. The entire project will propel Madrid into the avant-garde both from an architectural point of view as well as a first in the world of creating a “Law Campus.”

Q: Can the idea of Campus de la Justicia be applied to other countries?
PRADA: Without a doubt. Madrid can be the role model for other countries to follow, not just for the unification of its judical bodies, but also for the overall streamlining in administering justice having been given the tools to do so, Madrid is now at the forefront, symbolized by the avantgarde and archeecturally innovative buildings. The Campus de la Justicia has already generated much interest from other countries and it looks to become an example for others to follow.

Q: What can the United States learn from this system?
PRADA: The 19th Century witnessed the building of important judical infrastructures in the United States. With the passage of time these enteties have become outdated and insufficent and new infrastructures must be built. The United States is the perfect country to apply the Madrid model of Campus de la Justicia, maintaining the dignity and solemnity of these bodies but at the same time adapting them to the necessities of the 21st century.

Q: What is your prognosis for growth in the Madrid region (2008-09) given the present economic crisis hiting the USA and to a lesser extent Europe?
PRADA: In recent years the Madrid Region has been the dynamo behind the Spanish economy, and to a lesser extent a motor for the European economy. If the bleak economic forecast that you cite in your question, i.e. will the coming years prove to be difficult ones, I think that Madrid is well prepared to continue its growth and expansion. The Regional government has invested heavily in infrastructure, while at the same time maintaining a free market economy which will allow us to confront any recession, should it occur.