Photo credit: SCMP
Shanghai’s Zhangyuan neighborhood, a 140-year-old maze of tight alleys and Shikumen-style homes, just pulled off an engineering stunt for the ages. The Huayanli complex—7,500 tons of century-old buildings—was hoisted and shuffled across the city by 432 tiny robots, each small enough to fit in your hand, in a jaw-dropping technological dance.
Huayanli, born in the 1920s and ‘30s, is a slice of Shanghai’s soul. These three brick-and-wood structures, nestled in the vibrant Zhangyuan cultural district, once teemed with middle-class life. With so few Shikumen neighborhoods left, tearing them down wasn’t an option. But Shanghai needed room for a massive three-story underground complex, which consists of approximately 570,000 square feet of shops, cultural spaces, a parking garage, and a hub tying together Metro Lines 2, 12, and 13. The fix? Make the buildings take a stroll.
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What made this all possible? Well, 432 crawler-type robots. Despite their size, these palm-sized bots can each carry dozens of tons, and they worked together to move the 43,400-square-foot complex along at 33 feet a day. How long did it take? The project began on May 19 and then concluded on June 7, 2025, gently returning Huayanli to its original spot after a 2023 detour for underground work. Guided by 3D scans, AI algorithms, and precise dial gauges, not a single brick was lost.
Why robots? Zhangyuan’s narrow alleys and delicate historic structures couldn’t handle traditional methods. Plus, cranes couldn’t squeeze in, and rollers risked harming the 1928 “great hall,” a former night school in the complex. Crafted by Shanghai Construction No. 2 (Group) Co. Ltd., these robots teamed up with nimble drilling bots that squeezed through 1.2-meter gaps to tackle foundation work. They used deep-learning AI to sort through clay from tough obstacles, while conveyor belts zipped away dirt.
The underground hub will link skyscrapers, shops, and neighborhoods. Above ground, Huayanli’s restored facades and courtyards will stand as a living piece of Shanghai’s past. The city’s no stranger to moving buildings, but Huayanli, China’s biggest relocation yet, raises the bar to say the least.
Shifting a 7,500-ton complex without breaking it apart flips the idea that progress and preservation can’t coexist. It’s not cheap, but Shanghai’s bold move could spark cities everywhere to rethink how they honor their roots while still managing to grow.
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