As a means of adapting to climate change, floating towns have been suggested, particularly for regions at risk from increasing sea levels.
In the Netherlands, floating architecture was first introduced by architect Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio, who connected it to the nation's illustrious struggle with water.
Amsterdam and other European towns have constructed floating residences, originally luxury houseboats, proving their viability and increasing demand.
In the Maldives, planning began for a large-scale floating city to house up to 20,000–30,000 residents by 2027
The Maldives project includes 5,000 floating plots on telescopic piles to rise with tides and withstand tsunamis
Flexibility and visual resonance are highlighted in modular designs that draw inspiration from local culture and reef coral patterns.
Additionally, Oceanix City, which was designed for climate-threatened beaches like Busan and supported by UN-Habitat and BIG Architects, gave rise to floating city models.
Smaller models, such as Ocean Builders' SeaPod in Panama, feature self-sufficient residences with foundations that improve reefs, solar power, and desalination.
Another example is the Schoonschip neighborhood in Amsterdam, which has 46 eco-homes with solar panels and energy-sharing systems and is home to about 150 people.
Large floating cities, according to critics, present social, cultural, and legal obstacles, particularly in areas where people's perceptions oppose living on the water.
Energy, food, waste management, mobility, habitat regeneration, and infrastructure resilience continue to be technologically challenging areas.
Impacts on marine biodiversity, shade, waste flows, light and noise pollution, and heat exchange with ocean ecosystems are examples of environmental repercussions.
By extending livable area onto oceans, floating cities could reduce housing shortages, coastal overpopulation, and the displacement of climate refugees.
Broadly, floating cities represent a futuristic but practical response to climate threats—though they require careful design, regulation, inclusivity, and stakeholder acceptance