Polar Bear Soul

Polar Bear Soul is a design firm. They do visual branding and logo creation, they've got website design covered, and can also take care of product photography. Unlike other companies out there, however, they can also offer architectural services, and, while they're at it, electrical engineering. More baffling still, the fledgling firm comprises just two people.

"Yeah, we both come from backgrounds that have nothing to do with what we do now," explains Canadian co-founder Tyler Bowa, a trained architect who was, until recently working with AOO, they of Urbn Hotel fame. His colleague, Louisiana native and electrical engineer Jeff Liu nods in agreement: "I guess we don't want to limit ourselves; instead, we're pooling all of our skills to make new ones."

In fact, the leap to design isn't as improbable as it seems. Tyler expands, "In learning to be an architect, there's lots of design theory, which really helps me with coming up with concepts for clients now". Same for Jeff: "an engineering background helps a lot in terms of leaning code to build websites, it's just a slightly different programming language". Photography, too, has been a long-term hobby of Tyler's and one that's stood him in good stead for the many product shoots he finds himself doing in his current role.

"We're still young and we know we have a lot to learn. We try to be upfront with people and of course we do tell them if we don't know how to do something – but that give us time and we can probably figure it out how".

It was this 'can do' attitude that set each of the pair off on their revised routes. On arriving in Shanghai almost two years ago, Tyler met a wine importer who asked the then architect whether he'd be able to help in designing labels for his wines. "I told him that it wasn't really something I'd done before, but that I'd give it a shot". A year later, the client, Jaeger, described the good experience he'd had working with Tyler to a brandy-importing contact. Before they knew it, Tyler and Jeff were creating the packaging for French label Raynal who were freshly distributing their spirits all across China.



But back to Polar Bear Soul: how did two individuals with such differing backgrounds come to establish a design company in Shanghai? On entering their Donghu Lu offices, the answer becomes abundantly clear: bikes. Old, new and in various states of disrepair, the cycles hint not only at Jeff and Tyler's shared passion, but also the majority of their projects, and, it transpires, a future endeavor.

Tyler is one of the brains behind the eminently successful annual Shanghai Alley Cat race, and also one of the founders of People's Bike. The city's cycling community being what it is, Tyler quickly met Jeff and the pair began dreaming up ways they could turn their hobby into their job. Taiwanese bike brand Airwalk approached Alley Cat with a view to sponsoring the event, and, impressed by the race, logo and poster design, asked whether the pair could help makeover their website. That led to a new head badge design, set of stickers and promotional postcards - the lot. It also got them noticed, and they now count several other bicycle brands amongst their growing list of clients.



It also proved the spark for Factory 5 – a soon to be opened community hub for Shanghai's sizable cycling community. "The goal is to have tools that people can come in and use to learn how to fix their own bikes, and at the same time offer a selection of products that perhaps aren't available in China or are hard to get. We want to push a quality boutique feel."

Given the space's downtown location and best of all, front yard, the idea will surely be a hit when it opens, hopefully in the next couple of months. But that's not all: in addition, Tyler and Jeff have been busy making custom builds and one offs for bicycle aficionados, and they're really rather special. Although they decline to reveal its precise location, there is apparently somewhere in Shanghai a graveyard for old frames. Tatty and rusting, the cycles arrive creakily and sad looking to Polar Bear Soul's workshop space. Not the types to judge on looks alone, however, Jeff and Tyler have been lovingly restoring and reviving these old frames, kitting them out with new wheels, seats, everything, as well as a lick of flashy neon paint here and there.



"This one is really unique, it was used by the Chinese Olympic racing team. We've added a proper crank, new pedals, a whole new wheel set – hubs, rims, tyres - a new saddle, handlebars and brakes." The revamped bikes are not, however, completely devoid of their former character and still bear the original, retro-looking logos. "We've had a lot of good feedback about it – they still look kind of Chinese and traditional, but they're more comfortable and smoother to ride because of all the new parts".

There is nothing, it seems, that this dynamic duo aren't doing. Clearly individuals who relish a challenge, they're aiming to be a one stop shop for all their clients' design needs. And for now, it seems, they're doing just that – and some. Community endeavors like Factory 5, People's Bike and Alley Cat continue to help Polar Bear Soul carve out its niche, but that's not really the point. Grinning, Tyler explains "We all need to make money, and I suppose that's the design part of what we do. But we're really excited to be giving something back to the community; we're so lucky to be doing what we do, keep learning and having a great time while we're at it".

To learn more about Polar Bear Soul, check out their website here.