Severance: Explore Real-Life Locations That Built Lumon's World
The unnerving world of Severance is one where corporate control, psychological manipulation, and unsettling isolation come to life through its meticulously chosen filming locations. The eerie, retro-futuristic design of Lumon Industries isn’t just a set—it’s a carefully curated aesthetic that reinforces the show's unsettling atmosphere. From stark office buildings and brutalist architecture to eerily empty outdoor spaces, these locations play a pivotal role in immersing viewers in the psychological horror of severed consciousness. Below, we explore 12 real-world locations that helped shape Lumon’s haunting presence, each adding to the eerie, claustrophobic, and dystopian aesthetic of Severance.
1. Bell Labs Holmdel Complex – Holmdel, New Jersey (Exterior & Interior Hallways of Lumon Industries)
The most iconic location in Severance is the Bell Labs Holmdel Complex, a massive mid-century modern research facility in Holmdel, New Jersey. Designed in 1962 by renowned architect Eero Saarinen, this striking building was once a hub for innovation in telecommunications, but in Severance, it becomes the cold, clinical headquarters of Lumon Industries. Its mirror-like glass façade reflects the surrounding landscape, creating a sterile, utopian atmosphere that mirrors Lumon’s carefully controlled world. Inside, vast, empty hallways stretch endlessly, disorienting both employees and viewers alike. The blinding white walls, featureless doors, and fluorescent lighting evoke a sense of sterility and corporate anonymity, reinforcing the loss of individuality experienced by Lumon’s workers. The labyrinthine corridors, shot inside this vast structure, serve as a metaphor for the psychological maze employees must navigate under Lumon’s rigid control. The absence of windows and outside references further enhances the claustrophobic and surreal tone of the show. Bell Labs’ mid-century aesthetic, designed to inspire technological progress, is repurposed here to symbolize corporate oppression and isolation, making it the perfect real-world embodiment of Lumon’s dystopian environment.
