Nicoletta holds a PhD in Architectural Technology and Design (2009) and is a tenure track Assistant Professor at the School of Architecture at University of Florence (since 2016). Nicoletta’s work investigates the impact of healthcare architecture on human health and wellbeing. Her research focuses on project evaluation tools supporting the design of healthcare spaces. She is an expert in methodology and tools for the spatial-functional configuration analysis related to people flow in healthcare buildings and build environment.
Her past research focused on Space Syntax theory and methodology and its experimentation in hospitals to favor rights to health, identity, accessibility, and relationships among people. Her latest book published by Routledge is Designing Public Spaces in Hospitals.
Currently Nicoletta’s research is related to Birth Space Design. She was involved in the COST IS1405 BIRTH “Building Intrapartum Research Through Health” as a representative member for Italy where she investigated the relationship between physical environment and birth outcomes. She contributed as an expert to the writing of the European Midwifery Unit Standards update (2018) in the section “Environment and Facilities.” She is working on practice-based research on the birth environment to support Italy NHS in designing new healthy Birth Centers.