Kristian Solmer Vedel was a Danish industrial designer and architect known for his contributions to the Scandinavian design tradition. Born on March 2, 1923, in Copenhagen, Vedel completed his apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker in 1942 before enrolling at the Institute of Furniture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. There, he studied under Professor Kaare Klint and graduated from the School of Arts, Crafts and Design in Copenhagen in 1946. Vedel taught at the same school from 1953 to 1956 and served as the chairman of Danish furniture designers from 1947 to 1949.

In 1950, Vedel married Birgit Arnfred, and together, they set up a design studio in Humlebæk, outside Copenhagen, in 1954. The couple had four children, but they divorced in 1961. Vedel then married his second wife, Ane Pedersen, in the same year.

Vedel was instrumental in establishing the Association of Industrial Designers in Denmark and served as its first president from 1966 to 1968. Between 1968 and 1971, he started the leading Department of Industrial Design at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and returned to Denmark in 1972 to establish a new design studio on Thyholm in north-western Jutland.

Influenced by architect Kaare Klint and the German Bauhaus school, Vedel's style became characterized by the creative use of materials, especially plastic and wood, and a strong sense of ergonomic and functional requirements. He developed 'classic modern' design, which was showcased in his children's furniture, designed to be adaptable to a growing child and made to be used as a toy. Vedel's furniture was designed for children according to their needs, rather than being a miniature version of adult furniture.

Vedel's work as an industrial artist focused on taking a responsible stand on the existing possibilities and society's needs. He received numerous awards for his contributions to design, including a 1st prize at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers Guild (1947), the Louisiana Museum Prize (1957), the Silver Medal at La Triennale di Milano for children's furniture (1957), a Gold Medal at La Triennale di Milano for his line of stackable melamine plastic cutlery and tableware, the Design Award at Interplast in London (1961), and the Lunning Prize (1962).

Kristian Vedel died on March 5, 2003, leaving behind a legacy of iconic designs that continue to influence modern industrial design.