High-tech saves historic buildings Robots move 7000-ton shikumen buildings
Shanghai's architectural heritage had to make way for underground mega-buildings. Now they are back where they once stood. This was made possible by a globally unique engineering operation.
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- Shanghai has moved the 7500-ton "Huayanli" shikumen complex with 432 robots.
- The building was moved ten meters per day. The method protected even sensitive components.
- The move is part of a project that aims to make modern use of old buildings.
In Shanghai, several listed buildings built in the Shikumen style of the 1920s and 1930s were successfully returned to their original location. The return was necessary after the buildings had previously been temporarily relocated in order to carry out extensive underground construction work.
The buildings, which weigh more than 7,000 tons and are part of the historic Zhangyuan district, are considered an outstanding example of the architectural fusion of western and traditional southern Chinese elements. They have been listed for decades and are an important part of Shanghai's cultural heritage.
Perfect synchronization
The spectacular relocation began on 19 May: 432 autonomously controlled caterpillar robots moved the massive structures in small steps - around ten meters per day. The machines worked with millimetre precision and in perfect synchronization.
The relocation had become necessary in order to construct a large underground area of over 50,000 square meters. As the historical density and number of buildings did not allow for simple renovation work, the decision was made to temporarily relocate the entire site - and now to return it to its original location.
