As climate anxiety, rapid urbanisation and technological ambition continue to reshape societies across the globe, a new book by construction journalist and filmmaker Fred Mills examines the massive engineering projects that are redefining how humanity may live, travel and confront future challenges.

In Mega Builds, Mills takes readers inside ten of the world’s most ambitious construction projects, offering an in-depth look at the infrastructure race that is transforming modern civilisation. The book explores the scale, complexity and implications of projects ranging from nuclear fusion reactors and megatall skyscrapers to next-generation transport systems and futuristic urban developments.

Mills is the founder of The B1M, the world’s largest construction-focused media platform, which reaches millions of viewers globally. Over the past decade, he has gained access to some of the planet’s most significant engineering sites, experiences that form the foundation of Mega Builds.

At the heart of the book are pressing questions about the future of infrastructure and global development. Mills examines what happens when nations begin competing through construction and innovation rather than ideology, how far engineering can stretch the limits of geography and climate, and who ultimately shapes the cities of tomorrow.

Among the projects featured are The Line, Saudi Arabia’s proposed 170-kilometre linear smart city, Japan’s levitating high-speed railway system, and France’s efforts to advance nuclear fusion technology. Through these examples, the book highlights developments that increasingly blur the line between engineering reality and science fiction.

Beyond documenting large-scale construction, Mega Builds explores the motivations behind humanity’s pursuit of ever-bigger projects. Mills investigates the enduring drive to build taller skyscrapers, faster transportation networks and more technologically advanced cities, even as environmental concerns and resource pressures intensify.

The book also considers whether megaprojects are becoming a response to global crises, asking whether infrastructure can provide solutions to challenges that political systems often struggle to address.

Written in an accessible and cinematic style, Mega Builds combines first-hand reporting, engineering analysis and cultural commentary to make complex projects understandable to a broad audience. In doing so, Mills argues that infrastructure is not merely a technical concern but one of the defining stories of the modern era, shaping the future of economies, societies and everyday life.