Joseph Monier

Joseph Monier (November 8, 1823, Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie, France—March 13, 1906, Paris) was a French gardener. He was one of the inventors of reinforced concrete.

Monier did experiments with iron-wire reinforcement for his cement and concrete tubs and basins. He made the idea in 1867 and put his invention on exhibition the same year at the Paris Exposition.

At the age of 17 (1840) he was hired by the Duke of Uzès to work in the gardens of the Duke's mansion in Paris. In 1846 he took a job at the famous Tuileries Gardes of Paris where he was responsible for the orangery. Here he began his work with concrete that would result in the invention of reinforced cement.