Picture it: an entire building—so heavy it rivals a fleet of commercial airplanes—gliding across a city without cranes, demolition crews, or the usual chaos of a construction site. In 2019, that almost surreal sight became reality in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeast China, where engineers quietly pulled off one of the most astonishing feats of modern civil engineering. What they moved was no small shed: it was a 30,000-ton bus terminal, and they did it so smoothly it looked like the building was simply taking a stroll.
Below, we dive into how this extraordinary relocation unfolded—and how it earned a Guinness World Record.
A Giant on the Move
When local authorities began preparing space for a new high-speed railway line, they found an unexpected obstacle in its path: the Houxi Long Distance Bus Station, a massive transit hub built only four years earlier. Too new to demolish, too large to lift, and too expensive to replicate, it posed a unique challenge.
Instead of tearing it down, engineers proposed something far bolder: rotate the entire building, then slide it 288 meters to a new location, intact.
Yes—intact.
30,000 Tons, 532 Hydraulic Legs, and One Bold Idea
To pull this off, engineers equipped the station with 532 hydraulic jacks acting like giant robot legs. Underneath, a network of motorized rails supported and guided the building. At each stage, an automated control system coordinated the movement, raising one set of jacks while another nudged the structure forward, step by precise step.
The result was an eerily smooth march forward—about 20 meters per day—lasting 40 days. At normal speed, it looked almost stationary. In time-lapse, it resembled a colossal robot taking careful, rhythmic steps across the city.
Guinness World Records officially recognized the achievement as the heaviest building ever moved on rollers.
A Viral Engineering Marvel
Unsurprisingly, the feat captivated the public. A time-lapse video posted on Weibo accumulated millions of views, sparking awe and disbelief. Viewers watched a fully formed building glide across Xiamen as if resting on invisible ice skates—no dust clouds, no explosions, no noise.
In an age of flashy megaprojects, this was a masterclass in quiet precision.
Why Move It Instead of Rebuilding?
Simple economics—and sustainability.
The station, completed in 2015, had cost roughly €36 million to build. Replicating it would have cost even more and taken far longer. Demolition plus reconstruction would also generate massive waste.
By contrast, the relocation cost an estimated €7 million. Not cheap, but far more efficient—and environmentally responsible—than starting from scratch.
A Global Case Study in Engineering Imagination
Today, this project is cited in engineering schools worldwide as an example of what happens when innovation meets necessity. It challenged conventional thinking about urban development and proved that sometimes, the smartest move is… to literally move the building.
Not every day does a 30,000-ton structure “change sidewalks.”
What to Remember About This Spectacular Move
- Building name: Houxi Long Distance Bus Station
- Location: Xiamen, Fujian Province, China
- Weight: 30,000 tons
- Distance moved: 288 meters
- Duration: 40 days
- Technology: 532 hydraulic jacks + motorized rails
- Cost: €7 million
- Year: 2019
- Record: Heaviest building ever moved on rollers (Guinness World Records)
