Wouldn't it be a shame if climate change engulfed the Netherlands with rising sea levels? Where would we go to smoke legal dope? Fortunately the world's most humane nation is also one of the more ingenious ones. Architects there are designing floating homes that are intended to survive even in frequently flooded areas.

With help from the Dutch government, an architecture firm called Waterstudio is building split-levels on the banks of the Maas River in Maasbommel. Foundations, including enclosed basements, sit on the river bottom. If the water level goes up — as it does about once every dozen years in some areas — the foundations lift and the houses float to the surface.

Next step: Multi-storey complexes, floating gardens, movable houses, maybe even floating villages. See the Waterstudio website for design pics.

NPR, via io9