What if you could simply slide a building out of your way instead of tearing it down or building around it, all without the chaos of demolition or the roar of cranes? In Xiamen, China, engineers pulled off just that, gliding a 30,000-ton bus station nearly 300 meters with the grace of a slow-motion tango—and set a world record in the process.
A Bus Station on the Move: The Challenge in Xiamen
In 2019, the city of Xiamen in Fujian province faced a conundrum familiar to bustling urban centers: progress demanded space. A new high-speed rail line had to carve its path through the area occupied by the relatively new Houxi Long Distance Bus Station. Now, this wasn’t your average bus stop—this structure tipped the scales at an eye-watering 30,000 tons. Too massive for conventional handling, but too valuable to reduce to rubble. The decision? Move it. Intact. Just a short distance, yet a task that called for remarkable finesse and innovation.
Engineering Magic: How 30,000 Tons ‘Walked’
Forget clanging demolition and dust clouds. Instead, engineers deployed a pioneering technique called assisted structural translation. Picture this: 532 hydraulic jacks tucked under the building, operating in perfect alternation, inching the structure along. Motorized rails beneath guided the process, and a computerized system synchronized countless tiny lifts and advances. The result? The building didn’t twist, crack, or lose so much as a tile. Loads were carefully balanced, stability preserved at every turn.
For forty days, the massive building crept forward at about twenty meters a day, first pivoting and then gracefully ‘sliding’ nearly 288 meters to its new home—all under watchful human and technological control. No major parts lost in transit. No drama—unless you count the amazement of passersby and engineers alike. The scale of the operation earned the project an official world record, validated by the Guinness Book, which recognized both its technical singularity and its exceptional execution.
More Than a Record: Engineering, Economy, and Environment
While time-lapse videos of this slow-motion urban waltz quickly went viral on Chinese social networks—turning the bus station into something of a local celebrity—the real victory lay beneath the surface. The Guinness judges officially recognized it in the category of ‘heaviest building moved on rollers,’ emphasizing not just spectacle but the underlying engineering expertise.
The project also made financial sense, and not by a small margin. Rebuilding an identical structure after demolition would have cost much more and paralyzed the surrounding area for a longer period. Moving the building cost around 7 million euros, a very different number compared to the roughly 36 million spent erecting it in the first place, back in 2015. The advantages? Infrastructure was conserved, waste was slashed, and the neighborhood—though perhaps a bit stunned—emerged in far better shape.
- Minimized noise and dust—no lengthy, noisy construction site
- Less traffic disruption
- Time, cost, and impact: favorably balanced according to local authorities
- Boosted national engineering profile and concrete references for future urban megaprojects
This ‘march’ of a building has now become a case study: engineering schools analyze the coordination of the hydraulic jacks, the management of support points, and safety margins. Execution plans require a sufficiently rigid structure, adapted foundations, and meticulous scheduling of load transfers at every step. The real stars? Pragmatism and planning, rather than brute strength or sci-fi fantasy.
Lessons and Limits of Moving Giants
For dense urban environments where traditional demolition and reconstruction aren’t the best options, moving, rotating, or even translating structures can elegantly address tight schedules, continuous service expectations, and material stinginess. It’s not just about saving money—there are environmental gains, too, with less debris and transportation needed when the perimeter of the move is limited.
However, this is not a universal panacea. Challenges arise from terrain, geometry, underground networks, and the neighbors’ tolerance for having a 30,000-ton tourist on the block. Each case requires in-depth studies and the ability to adjust load distribution in real time. Ultimately, as the Guinness Book applies its golden seal, this feat reminds us that true innovation combines daring ideas with meticulous risk management and precision.
This Chinese episode demonstrates that construction can preserve existing works, control nuisances, and stick to a budget. The path opened by this operation could inspire future projects dealing with tight deadlines and complex uses. Guinness will remember the record; the engineers, meanwhile, will remember a thoughtful method worth replicating only with discernment.
Iveta is an aspiring journalist with a passion for storytelling and a deep love for coffee. Always curious and creative, she dreams of sharing stories that inspire, inform, and connect people around the world
