Stress Regulation in Biophilic Architecture: Multimodal Evidence from Real-World Environments

Chronic stress is a prevalent public health concern. Since physical environments can significantly impact health, environmental design has the potential to promote health and wellbeing. While exposure to nature has been linked to numerous health benefits, including stress reduction, the effects of biophilic design—which seeks to integrate natural elements into the built environment—on stress regulation are not well understood. Existing evidence often has limited real-world applicability due to a reliance on simulated or laboratory-based environments, and few studies compare different biophilic design strategies.

This dissertation addresses these gaps by examining stress regulation in real-world biophilic architectural contexts using a multimodal approach. Since stress is not one-dimensional and subjective experiences may diverge from physiological responses, this dissertation integrates neurophysiological (electroencephalography; EEG), physiological (heart rate variability; HRV), psychological (self-report), and behavioral (eye-tracking) measures.

Rooted in environmental psychology, this research engages a key question concerning whether preferences for and responses to environments are evolutionarily derived or shaped by learning and individual differences. This work helps clarify whether interior biophilic design interventions elicit consistent effects across individuals. These findings will help determine whether the benefits of biophilic design are generalizable or context dependent.

By evaluating the effectiveness of accessible, nature-inspired design strategies in real-world interior settings using a multimodal approach, these findings will advance our understanding of how architecture may impact mental health and inform evidence-based guidance for architects, designers, and policymakers to promote stress resilience and wellbeing through the built environment.

Julie Mollica received a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience with minors in Studio Arts and Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Architecture degree from the University of New Mexico (UNM). Her research experience spans aging, neurodegeneration, addiction, racial/ethnic health disparities, and environmental psychology/neuroscience. She worked as a sustainability consultant in the design and construction industry prior to starting at UVA. 

The First 50 Years

In 1975, Professor Mario di Valmarana (1929-2010) established the University of Virginia’s first official international study abroad program — the Vicenza Program at the School of Architecture.  Four years later, he founded the Venice Program specifically for graduate students.  Valmarana envisioned these study abroad programs as an “extension of the University in another realm,” in which students could immerse themselves in the culture, art, and architecture of his native region of Italy, known as the Veneto. 

Over 900 students have traveled with the Veneto Programs and the connections the A-School has cultivated over its 50-year history with the region are substantial.  Today, the Vicenza Program continues to inspire over 20 students each year to examine the area first-hand through both contemporary and historical lenses, while strengthening their sketching skills, over five weeks in the summer.  The Venice Program is a full-immersion experience and semester-long course of study for approximately 15 students each year, with 6 weeks of exploration and research in Venice.  Collectively, the Veneto Programs are a cherished and integral part of the identity of the School of Architecture and the University of Virginia. 

The Next 50 Years

Under the leadership of William Sherman as the Mario di Valmarana Professor and Director of the Veneto Programs, the School will continue to build on its 50 years of expertise in the Veneto Region.  The Veneto Programs will grow their research foci to examine architectural history and preservation, climate change, coastal resiliency and urban planning in a global city.  They will offer a series of courses and design projects that explore how well-considered design interventions and analyses, from urban and infrastructural scales to the building scale, could support daily life and help mitigate deteriorative effects on the historic built environments and landscapes.  With a dedicated faculty, a semester-long studio, and a summer program, as well as the support of the Valmarana family, alumni, parents and friends, the School will continue to both learn from the area and be a force for good in the region.

To celebrate the start of the Vicenza Program in 1975, the UVA School of Architecture will embark on a 2-year series of programs and experiences to REFLECT, CELEBRATE + ELEVATE the Veneto Programs and reconnect the community of alumni, family and friends who have a shared love for these programs and places.
 

Programs + Opportunities —

— "A Visit to Venice: Living with Water" Virtual Lecture

SEPTEMBER 18, 2024
with Valmarana Professor William Sherman
Hosted by UVA School of Architecture and UVA Lifetime Learning

Video Recording Available here.

— A-School Alumni and Friends Trip to Venice and Vicenza, Italy

SEPTEMBER 20 - 29, 2025
with Valmarana Professor William Sherman
Coordinated by Cavalier Travels and ISDI

-SOLD OUT-

Full schedule of events in Vicenza, travel recommendations and real-time updates can be found here.

— 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner at la Villa Rotonda in Vicenza, Italy

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2025

Tickets for the dinner are $750/person (registrants are responsible for their own travel and hotel arrangements) 

Purchase Tickets

Full schedule of events in Vicenza, travel recommendations and real-time updates can be found here.

— Share your Veneto Photos and Sketches

Do you have photos or sketches from your time studying in Venice or Vicenza with the A-School?  We would love to showcase them!  Find your old sketchbooks and scan any images to share with us.  

Fill out this form to upload and provide some information about you and the content you are sharing.

— Virginia and the Veneto: Past, Present and Future

JANUARY 30, 2026
5:00 pm
Venice and Vicenza Study Abroad Programs Exhibition Opening
Gallery Talk by student program participants
Elmaleh Gallery, Campbell Hall

— Anniversary Celebration + Symposium in Charlottesville, Virginia

FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2026
5:30 - 6:45 pm
Keynote Talk presented by Guido Beltramini
Director, Centro Internazionale di Studi di Architettura Andrea Palladio
"Drawings, Ecology and Migration: A New Landscape for Palladio Studies" 
The Dome Room at the Rotunda

6:45 - 8:00 pm
Veneto50 Reception
School of Architecture, Campbell Hall
 

SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2026
9:00 am - 1:15 pm
Symposium (with Breakfast)
"Creating a Global Laboratory: The Mario di Valmarana Center for Studies in Venice and Vicenza"
The Dome Room at the Rotunda

5:00 - 8:30 pm
Veneto50 Anniversary Gala and Dinner
Barboursville Vineyards (17655 Winery Road)

Tickets are priced at $250 per person.

REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT.
 

If you are interested in staying up to date on the latest VENETO50 events and activities, special lectures and talks, please fill out this INTEREST FORM to stay informed about both events and to receive a reminder regarding tickets sales.

FAQs

Do I need to be an alumnus/alumna of the A-School or the Veneto Programs to attend any of these events?  
No. All friends and family can purchase tickets for our Gala events. Partners are welcome to join. Space is limited in the Dome Room of the Rotunda and registration for the Symposium is based on a first come, first serve basis.

Can I cancel?
Yes. We understand that plans may change. The March 2026 Gala Dinner at Barboursville will be refundable up to 1 month before the event. If you don't want a refund, we will use your payment to sponsor a faculty member or student to attend. We ask that you cancel your free tickets to the Symposium as soon as possible, as space is limited in the Dome Room of the Rotunda and we anticipate a waitlist.

Will there be other A-School Alumni Trips to Italy?
We intend on offering opportunities to travel with UVA to Venice and Vicenza in future years, as we get the Valmarana Center up and running.

Additional Questions?

Contact Kim Wong Haggart, Director of Engagement and Alumni Initiatives, at kimwong@virginia.edu.