Yashara Abeysinghe is an architectural designer, researcher, and upcoming innovator in coconut-based biomaterials. She is currently an M.Arch Candidate at the University of Toronto’s Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, where she received her Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Architectural Studies and Minor in Environmental Studies in 2024. 

She completed her undergraduate thesis in Architectural Technology, exploring the potential of coconut fibre as a sustainable building material for tropical countries as an alternative to concrete. Over a period of four months, she experimented with natural adhesive compounds, developing a brick prototype that underwent compressive strength testing with promising results. Her work is motivated by the urgent housing needs of climate-vulnerable communities, with a focus on sustainable, biomaterial-based solutions.

As a member of the Toronto Biobuild Collective, Yashara is excited to collaborate, learn, and advance conversations on biomaterials in architecture.