Still Building: Pedro Privado’s Journey Beyond Forsyth Tech

While still a Forsyth Tech Architectural Technology student, 2022 graduate Pedro Privado and teammate Vicente Orellana Reyes entered a national architectural design competition and placed 2nd, outperforming more than 60 project entries from across the country. Three schools and three major honors later, Pedro has not slowed down.

Forsyth Tech architecture professor Mack Shoaf describes Pedro as an outstanding, ambitious student who frequently gave his time to help others and remembers Pedro approaching every challenge with a “find a way” mentality. During his time at Forsyth Tech, Pedro also worked with his father in the masonry industry, an experience that would shape his design instincts moving forward.

After Forsyth Tech, Pedro transferred to Appalachian State University to complete a four-year degree in Architecture. There, he made history as the first student to be unanimously selected as the winner of the university’s annual masonry design competition. This distinction speaks to both his design skill and the respect he earned from faculty judges, and connects directly back to his hands-on masonry experience. 

Pedro is now in his second year of the Master of Architecture program at UNC Charlotte, where he has received multiple Graduate Assistant Support Plan (GASP) awards. He gained real-world experience through an internship with Fuller Architecture and is currently interning with SILO Architecture and Design, a progressive, award-winning firm in Charlotte. He has also recently begun work on a memorial project in Chimney Rock Village honoring those affected by Hurricane Helene.

This past fall, Pedro’s final studio project was recognized as the top master’s degree project at UNC Charlotte for Fall 2025, the same honor fellow Forsyth Tech alumnus Hugo Hernandez received the following semester, Spring 2026. The recognition of two Forsyth Tech Architecture graduates within the same academic year speaks volumes about their individual talent and determination, and about the strong foundation they both developed at Forsyth Tech.

From a national runner-up finish as a Forsyth Tech student, to top honors at both Appalachian State and UNC Charlotte, Pedro Privado’s path is a testament to what is possible when strong fundamentals meet relentless drive. We are proud to call him one of our own, and we cannot wait to see where his talent takes him next.

Interested in launching your own career in architecture? Learn more about Forsyth Tech’s Architectural Technology program here.