Shanghai relocates 7,500-ton historic complex using 432 walking robots VIDEO

In a striking blend of tradition and technology, Shanghai is currently relocating a 7,500-metric-ton historic building complex using an army of 432 walking robots.

The century-old Huayanli complex, a rare collection of shikumen-style buildings dating back to the 1920s and 1930s, is being shifted roughly 10 meters a day to facilitate a major underground development project in the heart of the Zhangyuan area, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

This remarkable engineering feat is being undertaken to enable the construction of a vast three-story subterranean structure beneath the site. Once completed, the space will house 53,000 square meters (173,885 square feet) of cultural and commercial zones, a transport hub connecting Metro Lines 2, 12, and 13, and a parking facility with over 100 spaces.

The relocation, described as the largest of its kind in China in terms of weight, size, and complexity, is temporary. The Huayanli buildings will be returned to their original positions after the underground works are completed. The intricate operation was required due to the dense configuration of Zhangyuan, a 140-year-old district filled with narrow alleyways and tightly packed historical structures that precluded the use of conventional construction methods.

V Šanghaji pomocí robotů přemístili celý architektonický komplex postavený v letech 1920–1930

Komplex se skládá ze tří budov z cihel a dřeva. Jeho celková plocha je asi 4030 metrů čtverečních a váží přibližně 7500 tun.

K přemístění bylo použito 432 krokových robotů, kteří se… pic.twitter.com/R9xDwq29EK

— Lazz Lazz (@Lazikkkk) June 7, 2025

According to the Shanghai municipal government, the walking robots—specially designed to gently lift and ‘crawl’ with the structure—are central to the operation. Supplementing them are drilling robots that can manoeuvre through tight interior spaces and unique earth-moving machines equipped with folding arms to operate in corridors as narrow as 1.2 meters (3.93 feet).

Advanced technology also played a crucial role in planning the relocation. Engineers used building information modelling (BIM), point cloud scanning, and deep learning AI to create accurate 3D models of the site. These tools allowed teams to identify and avoid structural risks, optimise robot paths, and plan soil removal using a curved conveyor belt system akin to a factory line, reducing disruption to the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Zhang Yi, general manager of the urban renewal construction arm of Shanghai Construction No. 2 (Group), said, “We designed multiple curved transportation routes for soil removal, implementing a factory-line-style system with track hoists and conveyor belts to minimise disruption while maintaining high efficiency.”

By Vugar Khalilov