​Centerbrook Announces New Hires

CENTERBROOK, Conn. – Centerbrook Architects & Planners is excited to announce two new hires as it has welcomed René Brakels and Cassie Archer to the architectural staff.

Brakels joins Centerbrook with a diverse background of 15 years in the architecture industry that includes positions in his home country The Netherlands, Ireland, Latvia and New York. Most recently he served as a job captain at RGB Architects in Providence, Rhode Island. Brakels earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture in The Netherlands, where he is a licensed architect. He started at Centerbrook on Feb. 19 and hit the ground running on Quinnipiac University projects.

Archer, who grew up in Nigeria and England, comes to Centerbrook from Kenneth Boroson Architects in New Haven, Connecticut, where she was a senior job captain. After graduating from Wentworth Institute of Technology in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in architecture, Archer began her career as a designer in California. She joined Centerbrook on Feb. 26 and has also been working on Quinnipiac projects.

“We look for well-rounded people who have a spark. We were delighted to find René and Cassie who are full of energy, care about people and are driven to excel at the craft of building,” said Centerbrook Principal Jim Childress, FAIA. “They are already proving to be great additions to our staff.”

Centerbrook currently has designs under construction in Connecticut, Florida, North Carolina, New York and Texas, and active projects in seven states, Canada and China.