In Shanghai, engineers moved an entire historic Shikumen quarter weighing more than 8,000 tons with the help of automated robots. The monolithic brick complex, built more than 100 years ago, was temporarily shifted so that a shopping center, a parking lot, and metro exits could be constructed underneath it.
The buildings were moved as a whole block without being dismantled, thanks to the synchronized work of robot platforms. Each robot tracked its own position and the load on the site with precision, adjusting to even the smallest vibrations of the structure. This made it possible to avoid damage to the facades and preserve the architectural authenticity. After the required underground work was completed, the block was returned to its original location. The entire process took about 19 days.
Shikumen is a rare example of architecture combining Eastern and Western elements, and an important part of Shanghai’s cultural history. From the relocation of a Moscow hospital on steel rails in the 1930s to “walking” robots that carry an entire quarter in Shanghai, engineering has progressed from heavy mechanics to precise electronics. Technologies change, but the underlying idea of preserving what is valuable remains the same—and this, perhaps, is the key achievement.
