Kristian Vedel (1923-2003) was a Danish designer and part of the Scandinavian Design movement. This website presents some of his designs, as well as parts of his work at the University of Nairobi and selected glimpses from his life as sheepfarmer and artist.

Kristian Vedels designs are characterized by innovative use of materials, especially wood and plastics, and by a strong adherence to ergonomic and functional requirements. A typical example is his multifunctional childs chair, which could be adapted to a growing child, combined to provide a combined chair and table and turned over to be used as a toy.

Other renown designs include Bird (a wooden bird), now available for sale in at least twenty counties all over the world; the melamine stapleware, for which he was awarded a gold medal at the Milan Triennale and the Lunning Prize; and Modus, a furniture system, parts of which are still available in the second-hand market

From 1968 to 1971 Kristian Vedel etablished the first departement of Industrial design in independent Sub-Sahara Africa - at University of Nairobi in Kenya. After returning to Denmark, Kristian Vedel and his wife Ane Vedel established a design­studio at Thyholm in Northern Jutland. At Thyholm they also received and instructed a number of students from abroad, bred Shropshire sheep, researched applications of shropshire wool and developed the landscape on their farm.

NB: Several of the pictures on the remaining pages this site are "clickable".