New York’s FLOATING island: Incredible plans show futuristic buildings overlooking New York’s Hudson River that can be raised up to five feet to cope with rising sea levels

• Stunning pictures show plans for 'floating' island of buildings on Manhattan's skyline near World Trade Center
• New York-based design firm D From A propose 19 cylindrical high-rises with platform strapped around base
• The towers, overlooking the Hudson River, would be able to elevate 60 inches above potential storm surges

Stunning pictures show plans for a 'floating' island of buildings on Manhattan's skyline which could be the city's answer to rising sea levels.

The incredible towers, overlooking New York's Hudson River, sit on a platform that can be raised up to 60 inches to deal with flood water or rising sea levels.   

Not only would the eye-catching plans provide affordable housing and stimulate a new ecosystem of wildlife, but also ward off the rising sea levels predicted as a result of global warming.

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Stunning pictures show plans for a 'floating' island of buildings on Manhattan's skyline which could be the city's answer to rising sea levels

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The incredible towers, overlooking New York's Hudson River (above), sit on a platform that can be raised up to 60 inches to deal with flood water or rising sea levels

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Not only would the eye-catching plans provide affordable housing and stimulate a new ecosystem of wildlife, but also ward off the rising sea levels predicted as a result of global warming

As water levels rise, so will the landscape deck, allowing the homes to float like an island.

New York-based design firm D From A (DFA) propose to construct a total of 19 cylindrical high-rises set in 11 different clusters, ranging from 96 to 455 feet in height and wrapped in net-shaped frames.

At the foot of the buildings, attractions such as public pavilions could be installed, which DFA hope will be in usage until 2050 - by which time sea levels are expected to have risen between 11 and 30 inches.

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New York-based design firm D From A (DFA) propose to construct a total of 19 cylindrical high-rises ranging from 96 to 455 feet in height which float as water levels rise

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At the foot of the buildings, attractions such as public pavilions (above) could be installed, which DFA hope will be in usage until 2050 - by which time sea levels are expected to have risen between 11 and 30 inches

The plans for Manhattan's Pier 40 complex propose 450 residences near the World Trade Center ranging from affordable to luxury. 

Key sections of the pier would be removed in the future, a DFA representative confirmed, allowing for clear water ways to be created throughout the developments. 

This would allow for transportation from all sides once the location eventually floods, creating a canal-like system similar to that in Venice, Italy.  

Such designs, DFA hopes, will also mean the return of indigenous birds to the area, as well providing water species the opportunity to thrive. 

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DFA hopes their designs will mean the return of indigenous birds to the area, as well providing water species the opportunity to thrive

'These designs are primarily out there to start a bigger discourse in a sustainable future for New York City and it's development,' said Laith Sayigh, DFA's founding principal

Laith Sayigh, DFA's founding principal, said: 'These designs are primarily out there to start a bigger discourse in a sustainable future for New York City and it's development.

'We hope that this will raise the awareness of both the public and the private sectors. It's their efforts to design smart responsive solutions to the real issues that face the city.

'I hope these get attention because they merit it on the grounds of their ideas and solutions to current and future pressing issues.

Couple transform ‘horror movie’ seven-bedroom Victorian house in just six months for just £700 by buying almost everything from Gumtree (but they admit doing up the whole place could take DECADES)

• Richard and Taylor Howells have renovated their home in Ystalyfera after describing it as a 'building site' 
• The upcycling enthusiasts transformed the kitchen with just £400 and got a new bathroom for under £250 
• Bargain hunters said the house was so bad when they first moved in that they refused to use one bathroom 

A family have transformed their seven-bedroom Victorian house in just six months and with £700 - by buying almost everything from online marketplace Gumtree.

When Richard and Taylor Howells moved into their home in Ystalyfera, they fell in love with it, despite realising that the house will take decades to finish.

When they bought the house, the couple were greeted with a building site and endless amounts of junk and dirt.

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This is how the seven-bedroom Victorian property looked before the couple moved in and began their renovation, which they admit could take decades 

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With the renovation under way, the front of the house has completely transformed as has a substantial part of its interior despite the family spending just £700

But in six months they have already managed to transform their home by doing it all themselves and buying almost everything on Gumtree, saving thousands of pounds.

'When we bought the house in the Swansea Valley, it needed so much work, it was something out of a horror movie,' said Mrs Howells.

'But we absolutely loved it and we just went for it. It needed so many big jobs doing on it that the interior had to take a bit of a back seat.

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When the couple moved in less than six months ago, the walls were bare and the Howells say most of the property resembled a building site 

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This is what the living room looks like after the Howells decided to do a complete overhaul at the Victorian house buying most of their furniture second-hand 

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The kitchen was transformed for just £400 as the bargain hunters scoured Gumtree so that they could upcycle the seven-bedroom Victorian home

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This is how the kitchen looked after the Howells transformed it for just £400. They decided to buy the house despite how rundown it was when they fell in love with the property 

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Richard and Taylor Howells, pictured, have renovated the house for just £700 after they insisted on buying everything online 

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Once a ramshackle seven-bedroom house, the Victorian build is transforming into an ideal family home, though its owners believe a full renovation could span decades 

'I’m awful and can’t wait at all so I just decided to get creative. Pretty much everything we’ve achieved so far has been on a tiny budget as boring jobs like the roof and scaffolding have taken priority.

'I’m a big lover of upcycling and Gumtree and I have managed to be lucky with a few key pieces in sales and independent shops.

'We managed to have a wonderful first Christmas without feeling like we were living in a building site and I’m quite proud of it now. It’s still a long way to go but it’s a good start.'

The 27-year-old has spent around £700 re-inventing the property.

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The couple's thrifty approach to interior design has enabled them to fill the house full of their own furniture on a budget after trawling Gumtree and other sites selling pre-owned goods

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The Howells transformed this kitchen in the Swansea Valley home after moving in to a building site they confessed resembles something out of a horror movie 

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The couple have revamped the bathroom along with the living room and kitchen but fear the whole project could take decades to complete 

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The couple can now enjoy this bathroom but Richard Taylor says one was so terrible when he first moved in that he refused to even enter the room

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Despite resembling a construction site when the couple first moved in, the house now features this homely living room after the pair transformed it 

'The kitchen cost under £400 by buying second hand appliances such as a cooker and dishwasher. The bathroom was also under £250 as we re-enamelled the existing suite and bought an off-cut for flooring and used upcycled items for the rest.'

The bargain hunter said there was a lot of damage caused to the property, adding: 'I refused to go into one of the bathrooms in the first couple of weeks as it was so horrendously dirty. 

'We couldn’t afford to replace the suite so used a re-enamelling kit to make it white. The living room was damaged by rainwater flowing back in from the gutters.

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The thrifty couple have created a family home after searching for household items online on sites such as Gumtree and going to charity shops 

'Even after getting the keys we needed multiple skips to clear the junk, the balconies were all overgrown.

'I couldn’t bring myself to put any of my things in the dirty old kitchen cabinets but couldn’t afford to buy all new ones for my plates.

'I bought a cabinet from an old shop that was closing down for £25 and have used it to store a lot of my stuff,' she explained.

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Six months after they moved in the couple have transformed one of the Victorian house's bathrooms from a place Mr Howells refused to step foot in to a bathroom ideal for the family home 

Mrs Howells added that the past six months had been very stressful. She said: 'My husband Richard loves DIY and I love interior design, we have both done this together and it has been hard.

'We both work full- time so we have to stay up late to try to get things done. It can be relaxing at times but also stressful, we have saved so much money by doing it this way.

'We have had so much support from our family, they have been brilliant. I would love for most of the rooms to be complete in five years, but this is now our forever home.'

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This is how one of the bathrooms looked when the couple moved into the house, which the couple say had endless amounts of junk littered about the building 

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Before and after: Pictured, left, is how the back yard appeared when the pair moved in. Pictured, right is that space they've created out of the mess 

This is the sight that greeted the Howells in the attic of the seven-bedroom property when they moved in. They say the complete refurbishment could take decades