In Shanghai, China, 432 robotic legs have relocated a historic building complex weighing 7,500 tons to its original site.
The movement progressed at a pace of 10 meters per day. The process began on May 19 and lasted over two weeks.
Previously, the Shikumen-style structures were shifted to make way for the construction of an underground space at the Huayanli complex.
Shikumen is a style of residential buildings in Shanghai, formed in the 1860s, representing a blend of Western and Chinese architectural elements.
Workers monitored the abnormal deformation of the buildings in real time and ensured the even distribution of forces on the structure.
Low-clearance self-propelled drilling robots can be operated remotely and pass through narrow doorways and corridors, allowing for foundational work in historic buildings.
The project team employed building information modeling technologies and point cloud scanning to create detailed 3D drawings.
They also developed specialized earth-moving robots with foldable mechanical arms that can operate in spaces less than 1.2 meters wide, using deep learning algorithms to distinguish between clay and obstacles.
The Huayanli complex was built in the first half of the 20th century. The underground space is planned to host cultural, commercial, and other facilities, more than 100 parking spaces, and a metro station.
Earlier in April 2025, 21 humanoid robots participated in the Beijing half marathon.