July 9, 2025 – The award-winning architectural acoustic consulting and media systems engineering firm WSDG has unveiled its latest contribution to FAMA Studios: Studio D, a discreet yet powerful creative space concealed within the walls of the Dominican Republic’s most forward-thinking music hub. This latest addition marks the fourth studio designed by WSDG for FAMA, a boutique label and music company known for cultivating talent across genres and markets.
While FAMA’s main studios – A, B and C – offer expansive spaces for professional recording, mixing (including 5.1 for film), and artist development, Studio D is something entirely different. Hidden behind a disguised library door and nestled beneath a staircase in a restored colonial building in Santo Domingo’s historic district, this intimate studio is a self-contained creative retreat tailored for vintage synth experimentation, analog gear integration, and all-in-one recording sessions.
“FAMA understood that flawless acoustics are only half the story,” says Silvia Molho, WSDG’s Partner and Art Director. “They wanted an inspiring environment that sparks creativity – and in Studio D, we delivered that in the most unexpected way.”
FAMA’s owners – a family with deep cultural and philanthropic roots in the Dominican Republic – originally approached WSDG in 2006 to design a professional studio to support their annual music festival and to offer high-end recording capabilities for regional and international artists. Over time, the project evolved into an entire complex, including multiple studios and a boutique hotel next door to host visiting creatives. Studio D, completed in 2024, is the culmination of that vision: a personal passion project for the studio’s owner and a creative hideaway for select clients.
From a design perspective, Studio D breaks many of the traditional rules. The space is asymmetrical, compact, and carefully engineered to maintain acoustic integrity while embracing aesthetic innovation. Wallpaper-grade wooden wall finishes, a multi-layered ceiling, and customized lighting transform the room into a visually striking cocoon. The studio integrates vintage keyboards, custom speaker configurations, and a turntable-ready workstation, making it ideal for experimentation and spontaneous composition.
Technically, the studio is anchored around a Yamaha DM3-D Digital Mixing Console with Dante and an iMac Studio workstation. Monitoring is handled via Genelec 8361A and Yamaha DXl1K speakers, offering exceptional audio detail and flexibility. The outboard gear includes a full rack of preamps from API, Manley, Rupert Neve Designs, RME, Universal Audio, and others, enabling a broad range of tonal options for tracking and mixing. The studio also boasts a curated collection of vintage synthesizers, providing endless creative possibilities for producers and artists.
“We had to reinforce the colonial-era structure from the inside out to support the technical requirements,” Molho explains. “It’s small, but it’s packed with technology and isolation. No one walking through the building suspects that a fully professional studio is hidden there.”
WSDG oversaw every aspect of the design and build – from architectural consultation and structural modifications to acoustic tuning by David Molho, Acoustic Engineer, and AV integration by Federico Páez, Senior Systems Engineer, supported by the rest of the team. According to Molho, Studio D reflects a rising demand for multifunctional, immersive studios that serve both technical and emotional needs.
“More and more artists want to create in places that feel unique, intimate, and inspiring,” she continues. “Studio D proves you don’t need a massive space to achieve world-class results, just great design and a clear creative vision.”
“FAMA is a perfect example of what we’ve always envisioned for WSDG as a business,” concludes WSDG Founding Partner John Storyk. “They’ve been our clients since 2015, and in that time, we’ve supported them as they’ve grown from a single studio to a full creative campus with Studios A, B, C, and now Studio D. This industry runs on trust, service, and relationships. When you support your clients with care and creativity over the years, they keep coming back – and they bring others with them. That’s how we’ve grown, and it’s why collaborations like this one with FAMA are so meaningful to us.”
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For more information about WSDG, please visit: http://www.wsdg.com/
ABOUT WSDG
WSDG is an award-winning international firm specializing in architectural acoustic consulting and media systems engineering. Founded by pioneering architect and acoustician John Storyk and multi-disciplinary designer Beth Walters, WSDG blends scientific rigor with artistic vision at the intersection of architecture, acoustics, and technology to create extraordinary sound environments. Beginning with Mr. Storyk’s design of Jimi Hendrix’s iconic Electric Lady Studios, notable WSDG projects include personal studios for Jack Antonoff, Bob Marley, Bruce Springsteen; landmark studio design, including Jungle Studios (NYC), Rue Boyer (Paris), Spotify (LA) and Church Studios (London) as well as technology and acoustic consulting for global media organizations including Beijing Film Academy, ESPN, Netflix, Sony, The National Museum of Qatar, and many more.
With a consolidated global leadership, offices in New York, Miami, Basel, and Berlin, and representation in 14 international locations, WSDG continues to unlock the potential of sound by redefining acoustics in the arts, live entertainment, sports, education, and luxury residential fields.
For more information, visit www.wsdg.com.
