DEEWEE 001: a look inside the studio

While recording at the legendary Abbey Road Studios this past February was a significant milestone, David and Stephen Dewaele have little reason to look across the Channel with envy. Their own DEEWEE headquarters in Ghent is an architectural masterpiece, designed by Glenn Sestig, is far more than a studio.

Moving next door

Since the late 90s, Dave and Steph have been based at the Oude Beestenmarkt in the heart of Ghent. They started in a small space above a bar called Atlantic—which later became the famous Club 69—and eventually expanded their studio right over the club. ‘Our old place was very DIY,’ recalls Stephen. ‘We did it ourselves, knocked down walls and everything. But that was also the amazing thing about it. It looked like chaos had exploded – there were things everywhere’.

When the time came to build DEEWEE, they simply bought the lot next door to create their new headquarters from scratch.

The design

Architect Glenn Sestig designed the DEEWEE headquarters (DEEWEE 001) with a clean, minimalist style. The building features a bold, dark look using materials like black marble, dark walnut wood, and metal.

Sestig’s vision was to move away from the industrial look of traditional recording spaces to create an inspiring “creative factory.”

As David Dewaele explained, the goal was clear: ‘We didn’t want to build a ‘pro’ studio. We wanted a room where we felt inspired.‘

The library:

At the heart of the building lies an extraordinary archive of over 60,000 vinyl records, seamlessly integrated into the architecture. This isn’t merely storage; the brothers have developed a bespoke database that allows them to locate records based on specific moods or sonic textures rather than just artist names.

Stephen Dewaele: ‘Everything is archived. It’s the first time in our lives that we know where everything is.‘

The recording studio

The technical soul of DEEWEE is located in the basement, where the recording studio is dominated by a 1969 Cadac mixing console affectionately dubbed “the mothership.”

Unlike typical studios cluttered with foam and cables, Sestig hid the acoustic treatments behind sleek, high-design panels. This ensures the workspace remains as disciplined as the music produced within.

David summarizes the philosophy succinctly: ‘It’s a very functional building. It’s not a house with a studio; it’s a studio where you can live.’

The studio was really put to work for the album From DEEWEE in 2017. Soulwax recorded the entire project in just one take, with the whole band—including three drummers—playing at the same time.

The guest appartment

The guest apartment upstairs has a vintage look and a bright blue carpet. It’s a comfortable space for visiting artists to stay, and it even features an amazing collection of books to browse through.

The courtyard

The Japanese-inspired courtyard is a peaceful spot in the middle of the studio. It brings in natural light and gives the building a place to breathe.
Both the brothers and Glenn Sestig are big fans of Japanese style, and this calm space balances out the sharp, dark lines of the rest of the building.

Visiting the studio

‘I’ve been lucky enough to visit the DEEWEE studio several times now. It is a special feeling to spend time at the Dewaele brothers’ headquarters. Surrounded by all the instruments, synths, the huge record collection, and the building’s design, you can’t help but be impressed by such greatness.‘