Nikozi is an ancient Georgian village located near the border of the Russian-occupied South Ossetia, where the Russo-Georgian war took place in August 2008. The echoes of the war are still present and affect the spirit of the place. The residential houses in this settlement are planned around several historical monuments, some of the earliest examples of Christian churches, such as the Zemo Nikozi Church of the Deity and the Zemo Nikozi Church of the Archangel.

The idea of the Nikozi Art Palace proposal is to bring and unite the village under one large roof. The circular arrangement of functions creates an enclosed courtyard, symbolizing unity, integrity, and peace. The assembly of functions, consisting of a museum, gallery, and concert hall, creates a perimeter block and an inner yard with an amphitheater for outdoor events, screenings, and social gatherings.

The single-story layout and its linear volume do not obscure the views of historical architecture and the Caucasus mountains. Moreover, the fragmented rhythm of the Nikozi Art Palace layout is downscaled to match local, rural dwellings. The building has two guiding axes: the roof is oriented towards the main highway and the school, while the inner courtyard is aligned with the axis of the church. The difference in axes creates covered spaces and entrances on the perimeter of the building. The architectural form of the project is inspired by the roofs of traditional houses in Nikozi. The canopy-type roof is made of terracotta, analogous to the traditional clay-pitched roofs in Nikozi. Its timber gridshell structure is exposed in interior spaces, forming the ceiling.