**The Walking School: An Innovative Method for Urban Advancement in Shanghai**
When faced with a historical structure hindering new construction, the typical approach frequently entails demolition. Nonetheless, Shanghai’s Huangpu district experienced an extraordinary occurrence in the fall of 2020 when the 7,600-ton Lagena Primary School was shifted without demolition. Erected in 1935 by the municipal board of the former French Concession, the school stood in the path of a forthcoming office and commercial complex. Rather than tearing it down, engineers relocated the building using a groundbreaking method involving mechanical legs.
**Transforming Building Relocation**
The method of relocating a building entails lifting it off its foundation and transporting it to a different site. In this instance, Shanghai Evolution Shift spearheaded the operation by excavating around the edifice, severing its supporting columns, and redistributing the weight onto mechanical supports. These supports functioned like robotic legs to move the structure away from its initial location, ensuring it was preserved.
Shanghai has a legacy of building relocations but has also witnessed the loss of numerous structures due to modernization. The choice to relocate the Lagena Primary School represented a balance between preservation and development. Lan Wuji, the chief supervisor of the project, remarked that relocation wasn’t the preferred option, yet it was superior to demolition.
**The Walking Machine: A Technological Wonder**
The use of 198 mobile hydraulic supports, resembling robotic legs, made this endeavor unique. Created in 2018 by Shanghai Evolution Shift, this technology gave the building “crutches,” enabling it to “stand and walk,” as Lan described. In contrast to earlier techniques utilizing rails, the walking machine permitted the structure to navigate bends, showcasing its clear advantages.
Previous relocations, such as the 2003 shift of the Shanghai Concert Hall, were restricted to straight courses due to rail dependencies. The innovative technique enabled the Lagena school to cover a distance of 62 meters and turn 21 degrees along a curved route over 18 days, concluding on October 15, 2020.
**Safeguarding Heritage: More Than Just Sentiment**
Relocating a building isn’t solely an emotional act; it involves a cost-benefit examination. While specific costs were not revealed, Lan indicated that moving structures could be less expensive than demolition and reconstruction. The preserved building is set to be transformed into a cultural and educational center, merging heritage conservation with contemporary applications.
This methodology creates new opportunities: historical buildings can now be regarded as movable entities rather than hindrances. The process has advanced, as evidenced by a larger 2025 initiative involving the Huayanli Shikumen complex, which employed even more supports to move 8,270 tons.
The relocation of the Lagena school was not just a singular event but a groundbreaking trial, hinting at a future where historical sites might exist alongside modern developments without facing unavoidable destruction.