The aesthetic sublime of megaproject structures: A framework and a research agenda

Abstract The physical structures of megaprojects—such as mega‐canals, metros, railway lines, bridges, tunnels, and iconic opera houses—hold a profound capacity to generate aesthetic experiences with enduring societal impact. Yet, research on megaprojects has predominantly focused on functionality and economic rationale with aesthetics being pushed to the margin or framed in negative terms. We address this gap by reconsidering the notion of the aesthetic sublime , understood as deep experiences of awe, fear, and fascination that may invoke both unsettling existential contemplation and feelings of elevation. Integrating insights from foundational philosophical accounts of the sublime with environmental aesthetics and streams of megaproject research, we develop a framework that identifies five key qualities through which the aesthetic sublime can be manifest in megaproject structures: immensity, timelessness, immersion, melancholy, and the common land. Through this vocabulary, we advance an understanding of megaproject structures not only as technical and economic enterprises but also as aesthetic phenomena that influence how people experience and create meaning from the built environment and, ultimately, how they understand themselves and their place in the world.