The US$185m (£116m, 114.5m euro) Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, US is set to open in December.

Designed by Los Angeles-based architect Thom Mayne, the museum will feature five floors of public space with 11 permanent exhibit halls, including a children's museum and a hall to host travel exhibitions.

The museum also houses an expansive glass-enclosed lobby and rooftop deck, a 3D digital cinema and an auditorium.

Located in Victory Park, the 180,000sq ft (16,723sq m) building is conceived as a large cube floating over a landscaped plinth and is designed to inspire awareness of science through an interactive environment.

The plinth is landscaped with an acre of rolling roofscape comprised of rock and native drought-resistant grasses to reflect the Texas landscape and demonstrate a living system that will evolve naturally over time.

By integrating architecture, nature and technology, the building aims to demonstrate scientific principles and will be used as a teaching tool that provides living examples of engineering, sustainability and technology at work.

The museum's sustainable strategies include a rainwater collection system that will capture run-off water from the roof and carpark, satisfying 74 percent of the museum's non-potable water needs and 100 percent of its irrigation needs.