Robots Move Entire City Block in China
make way: to create space for someone or something
In Shanghai, an entire city block weighing over 8,000 tons was moved without taking it apart. It didn’t fall down. Nothing fell. Nothing broke. Hundreds of small robots carefully carried the whole structure.
The building complex is nearly 100 years old. It was moved to make way for a large underground shopping center, a subway connection, and a parking area. Engineers didn’t want to destroy this piece of history, so they used modern technology to save it.
They used robots that acted like tiny legs, lifting the structure and moving it 10 meters each day. The building complex was moved west and north in 2023. Then, in May 2025, the robots took it back to its original place. It only took 19 days to finish the return trip.
Sample sentences
The city tore down the old stadium to make way for a modern sports complex.
Several houses were demolished to make way for the new train station.
The old law was removed to make way for updated environmental rules.
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China temporarily relocates an entire city block, buildings and all