The Netherlands is one of the lowest lying countries in the world. Over one-quarter of the nation lives below sea level.
As sea levels rise, the Dutch are preparing for the worst. Engineer David van Raalten is constructing new sea walls as part of a huge programme to eradicate weak links in the country's coastal protection.
But a growing number of urban planners and architects believe that as well as fighting rising sea levels it's time to find ways to live with the water.
Koen Olthuis calls himself an 'aquatect', an architect who uses water to help improve the design of a city and work with rising sea levels.
He has created over 100 floating houses in the Netherlands in the past 12 years, ranging from apartments to luxury villas but believes his technology can also make a big difference to people in poorer countries who are most vulnerable to rising seas.
Russell Beard travels to the Dutch coast to see how the Netherlands is engineering a future on the water.