Floating architecture in Rotterdam (Rick Ligthelm/ flickr/ cc)

Rotterdam is best known for its massive port — Europe’s largest — and its extensive network of dikes, dams, levees and locks. Someday, it may be famous for something else: floating architecture.

According to the Rotterdam Climate Initiative, the low-lying Dutch city is developing “climate proof” buildings that are buoyant and can withstand the shocks of Mother Nature, from floods to storms to rising tides. The city hopes to eventually market its expertise to global cities that face similar risks.

A bulbous floating pavilion in the center of Rotterdam hints at the possibilities. The structure, comprised of three half-spheres, rises and dips with changing sea levels. Its heating and air conditioning systems rely on the sun and the sea, and it even cleanses its toilet water, the article says.

Rotterdam has other big ideas for its waterfront. In March, Next City covered Rotterdam’s plans to promote development on waterways adjacent to a once-seedy neighborhood. 

> via citiscope.org