Shanghai transferred by 432 robots to make way for historical building development

There is no stranger for tricks leaving Shanghai engineering jaws.

In the latest example, a Shanghai historical building transferred by robots is attracting global attention. The transfer of the campus in Huyang, the weight of a Shikmen-style building covers about 7,500 metric tons (about 8,267 US tons) and about 43,400 square feet, in fact the rules have to be re-written.

This ambitious project is powered by an army of 432 small robots that are carrying forward a vast structure of about 33 feet each day to make way for a new underground development. Let’s dive on how this is happening, why does it matter and what does it mean for the future of urban protection.

Sign up for my free cyber report
Take my best technical tips, immediate safety alerts and exclusive deals directly to your inbox. In addition, you will get immediate access to the survival guide of my final scam – free of charge when you join.

Robots enter the ring for the first boxing match

What is special to transfer the Shanghai historic building by robot?

The Huayanli complex is a set of three brick-and-wood buildings built between the 1920s and the 1930s. Located in the center of the historic Zhanguan region of Shanghai, these structures are classic examples of Shikmen architecture, a unique mixture of western and Chinese design. Zhangyuan itself is more than 140 years old and is one of the largest and best preserved Shikmen neighborhood of Shanghai.

Delivery Robot Autonally lifts and transports heavy goods

Why is a Shanghai historical building being transferred by robots?

Transfer is not only for shows. The city is constructing a three -storey underground center under the premises that will include more than 570,000 square feet of cultural and commercial places, a parking garage and a transport hub with more than 100 spots that combine three major metro lines. Shanghai is getting a smart balance between honoring its heritage and embracing progress by preserving the historic Hayanli Complex above the ground while connecting the modern infrastructure below.

Building-in-the-box turns into a portable small house in minutes

Challenges: Tight place and dense history

It is quite difficult to move a building of this size, but the challenge is multiplied by the narrow streets of Zhangyuan and the dense web of closely packed historic buildings. Traditional transfer methods will not just fit. The historical significance of the region also means that any mistake can harm irreplaceable architecture, including 1928 “Great Hall”, once placed in a patriotic night school.

Wrap solar-powered roof new mega modern opera house

How 432 Robots are carrying forward a historical Shanghai building

Instead of using cranes or bulldozers, engineers put 432 small running robots to work. These robots gently lift the building and slowly pursue it, inch to inch, cover about 33 feet each day. To achieve this incredible level of accuracy, the project depends on many advanced technologies. Special low-clearing drilling robots, which can be operated from far away, navigate tight corridors and doors to create a new foundation below the historical structure.

Earth-moving robots, equipped with mechanical weapons, just four feet wide wide, use artificial intelligence to explain the difference between soil and solid obstacles. Engineers also use building information modeling and point cloud scanning to create highly detailed 3D blueprint. These digital model models help the team plan accurate movement routes, avoid potential conflicts and design curved paths to remove soil.

To keep the construction site efficient and reduce disintegration, the soil is used using a conveyor belt system, like an assembly line. This step is only temporary. Once the underground construction ends, the Huayanli complex will be carefully returned to its original place, fully restored and preserved, now sitting with a modern underground feature.

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

Best Early Amazon Prime Day 2025 deal

What’s next for zhangyuan?

When the project is finished, Zhangyuan will mix the historical attraction of its upper-high with state-of-the-art underground features. The region will connect to a nearby high-high, shopping center and neighborhood, which will create a vibrant and accessible urban location that respects his past while embracing the future.

How to subscribe to Kurt’s YouTube channel for quick video tips to work all your technical equipment

Kurt’s major takeaways

It is not every day that an entire historic building is built to run in a city block, but the Huyneli project of Shanghai suggests that with the right technology and a little imagination, even the oldest neighbors can be part of tomorrow’s cityscape. This combination of protection and innovation offers an attractive glimpse of how the city can grow without losing its soul. Who would have thought that robots can become an unseeded hero of heritage?

Click here to get Fox News app

If robots can move the entire historical neighborhood to make way for modern development, how far should we go to shape our cities again, and which parts of our past are really worth conservation? Write us and tell us Cyberguy.com/Contact

For my tech tips and security alert, subscribe to my free cybergui report newsletter Cyberguy.com/newsletter

Ask Kurt a question or tell us which stories you want to cover us

Follow the kurt on your social channels

Answers to the most asked cybergui questions:

New from Kurt:

Copyright 2025 cyberguy.com. All rights reserved.