Julianna Mollica

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.