These half-million-dollar floating villas can withstand Category 4 hurricanes

Waterstudio

A rendering of two of nine floating villas by Waterstudio in Zeewolde, Netherlands.

Much of the Netherlands sits below sea level. Rotterdam is at almost the lowest point in the country, around 20 feet below sea level.

Living in these spots can put homes at risk for storm surge and flooding, especially during hurricanes. European hurricanes are rare, but some climate scientists expect that storms could become more common in Europe if global warming continues to accelerate.

A new type of floating villa could withstand future storms and rising sea levels. Designed by architecture firm Waterstudio, nine villas will be complete later this month in Zeewolde, a town in central Netherlands about 65 miles from Rotterdam.

Waterstudio CEO Koen Olthuis told Business Insider that the homes can withstand winds of up to 156 mph, classified as a Category 4 hurricane. Each home is buoyed so that when water levels rise during a storm, it can bob with the water.

Check out renderings of the villas below.