Lamak, a collaborative work by two artists

Pariama Hutasoit, Contributor, Ubud, Bali

This is the first time for sculptor Pintor Sirait to collaborate with famous tropical garden designer Made Wijaya, aka Michael White. The result is astonishing interior and exterior designs of Lamak restaurant in Ubud, some 20 kilometers north of Denpasar.

The main concept of the restaurant's architectural style is a blend of simple, traditional and elaborate contemporary Balinese housing styles.

In the Balinese language, Lamak refers to a sacred ceremonial utensil called lama, which is usually placed under a variety of religious offerings.

"Lamak has inspired and become the very essence of the entire design of this restaurant," explained Pintor.

The combination of traditional and contemporary elements in designing the restaurant have created a simple work of art.

A graduate with a Liberal Arts degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, in the U.S., Pintor focused more on steel sculptures and metal works in his most recent work.

Pintor put striking accents on the restaurant's doors, panels, stairs and flooring. A prolific producer of unique art, he designed steel chairs highlighted with red and green upholstery, a water container and many other items.

It is easy for Pintor, who was born to an Indonesian-German parents, to mix Balinese traditional and contemporary elements in his designs.

"I've been living in two different cultures for years and this background has influenced my work," he said.

He obtained a prestigious award from World Sculpture News in 2000.

Although, he made quite a contribution to the restaurant design, Pintor admitted that this was a result of good teamwork with Made Wijaya and his colleagues, I Gusti Sudjana, Nyoman Wiyoga, Dewa Putu Sedana and I Gusti Made Karang.

"You see, this ceramic tile with taro motifs was created by Made Wijaya," Pintor said.

Made explored various floral motifs mostly found in Yogyakarta during the Dutch colonial period.

Made Wijaya is the author of several books including Tropical Garden, The Complete Stranger in Paradise, Balinese Architecture and contributed to Tropical Asian Style.

I Gusti Sarjana said that the presence of Taro motifs on the lounge and toilet floors had created a warm atmosphere within the restaurant's simple and clean interior design.