The garden complex consists of several buildings, including glass-houses with a total area of 6,000 square metres [m2] (64,583 sq ft).

Environmental conditions also played a role, as the surrounding areas of Berlin and Schöneberg had become densely developed, leading to unfavourable urban and impacts including air pollution and a lowered groundwater table, which posed harm to the plants.

Friedrich Althoff, representing the ministry, tasked Ignaz Urban, the interim director of the Botanical Garden, with evaluating potential relocation sites on the outskirts of Berlin.

Urban identified a 41-hectare area on the Royal Domain of Dahlem, previously used as a potato field, as the most suitable location for the new botanical garden.

The majority of the land belonged to the Groß-Lichterfelde district and, for postal purposes, was designated as part of the rural municipality of Steglitz, adding to administrative confusion.

In the lead-up to the Second World War, pressure from the Nazi Party resulted in the dismissal of Jewish employees from the Berlin Botanical Garden.

[13] By 1943, the garden had become a waiting area for Berliners seeking shelter from Allied bombing raids in a nearby underground bunker.

By the autumn of the same year, bomb blasts shattered the glazing of the greenhouses, leaving the plants exposed to the elements and destroying two rare Coco de Mer palms.

An anti-aircraft battery positioned in front of the greenhouses became a target for artillery fire, leading to widespread damage across the garden.

Between 1947 and 1949, parts of the garden were temporarily repurposed to grow potatoes and vegetable cultivation, using Shire horses to plough the land, in response to severe food shortages among the local population.

Many employees who lives in East Berlin were suddenly unavailable to travel to work, leaving the garden understaffed and further complicating its post-war recovery and maintenance efforts.

[13] In 1996, the Botanical Garden and Museum were incorporated into the Freie Universität Berlin, gaining the status of a faculty-independent central institution.

In the summer of 2021, the Berlin Senate approved plans to renovate and upgrade the Botanical Garden and Museum with a focus on accessibility, infrastructure improvement, and enhanced educational initiatives.

The renovation aims to make the facilities more accessible to tourists while promoting dialogue on species conservation and biodiversity through exhibitions and guided tours.

To accommodate this, the structure and composition of the subsoil were modified extensively, requiring the movement of 136,000 cubic metres [m3] (4,802,795 cu ft) of soil.

In 1984, "Morphological Section I" was replaced by the "Fragrance and Touch Garden", designed to enhance accessibility for blind and visually impaired visitors.

These greenhouses were designed to showcase specific plant collections in carefully controlled environments replicating their natural habitats.

This design reduces heat loss, minimises condensation, and prevents dripping water on the steel beams, enhancing plant care and energy efficiency.

The total floor area of the originally heated display greenhouses was 8,192m², supplemented by unheated "earth houses" for cold frames covered approximately 1,500m².

Kremser utilised modern design principles, incorporating organic curves in the facades and roof transitions to evoke natural forms.

Despite this, some tropical plants reportedly survived, as dedicated employees safeguarded them in kitchens and living rooms until conditions allowed for their return.

However, a key disadvantage of acrylic glass became evident on 31 July 1969, when a fire in the upper dome caused significant damage to the plastic glazing resulting in over half of the plant life being killed.

To maintain optimal humidity levels, a sprinkler system with 66 nozzles was added, capable of dispersing 130 liters of water per minute.

Additionally, 96 high-pressure mercury vapor lamps, each with a power of 400 watts, were installed to enhance lighting conditions for the tropical plants.

The basement provided direct access to the Great Tropical House and greenhouses G and H, serving as starting points for visitor tours.

The newly redesigned greenhouse complex, including the expanded Victoria House and its improved facilities, was officially opened on 19 June 1969, marking a significant modernization of the botanical garden’s infrastructure.

However, construction defects caused delays, and the Victoria House ultimately reopened on 16 June 2018, marking the culmination of significant restoration efforts for both iconic greenhouses.

These structures reflect both historical functionality and modern adaptation, demonstrating the evolution of greenhouse design in response to scientific and environmental needs.

Continuous operation during night and summer was required for cultivation, so an independent heating facility with three warm water kettles and a boiler was built in the Botanical Garden.

Annual energy consumption levels amount to 8,580 gigacalories (Gcal), the equivalent of 9,970,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh), from which a third is used for the Great Pavilion.