The Apple TV+ series Severance doesn’t just tell a story—it builds a world. At its heart is Lumon Industries, a fictional corporation where sterile corridors and retro quirks collide in a haunting, unforgettable aesthetic. Blending mid-century optimism, brutalist starkness, and a dash of retro-futurism, the show’s design is a character in itself. As season two looms, let’s peel back the layers of this meticulously crafted universe.
A Maze of Concrete and Control
Step into Lumon, and you’re hit with a paradox: a workplace that’s both timeless and unsettlingly off-kilter. Filmed at the Bell Labs Holmdel Complex in New Jersey—a 1960s architectural relic by Eero Saarinen—the setting oozes brutalist DNA. Vast concrete expanses, endless hallways, and towering glass stretch across two million square feet, evoking a fortress of order. Yet, there’s warmth in the details: teak paneling, plush carpets, and pops of mustard yellow or lime green that nod to mid-century flair.
Production designer Jeremy Hindle leaned into this duality. “We wanted a space that feels familiar but wrong,” he explains. The result is a labyrinth where employees like Mark (Adam Scott) and Helly (Zach Cherry) navigate their “severed” lives—minds split between work and home by a mysterious procedure. The architecture mirrors that fracture: cold and imposing, yet oddly inviting.
Retro Tech in a Futuristic Shell
Lumon’s tech is a time warp. Chunky CRT monitors glow with neon green text, and clunky keyboards clack under fluorescent lights. It’s a deliberate throwback to the 1980s, clashing with the sleek sci-fi premise of memory severance. Set decorator Andrew Baseman sourced vintage gems—IBM PCs, rotary phones—pairing them with bespoke oddities like coiled cords in pastel hues. “It’s retro with a twist,” he says. “Like the future imagined by the past.”
This retro-futurism isn’t just style—it’s story. The outdated tools amplify Lumon’s eerie disconnect, hinting at a company stuck in its own warped timeline. A faux commercial in season one, styled like a 1950s ad, doubles down on the nostalgia, all while masking a dystopian edge.
Color and Costume: A Subtle Code
Color tells its own tale. Lumon’s palette swings between sterile whites and bold mid-century accents—orange chairs, teal walls—softening the brutalist chill. Costumes follow suit. Mark’s team dons slim ties and muted suits, channeling 1960s ad men, while higher-ups like Patricia Arquette’s Mrs. Casey wear structured, vintage-inspired looks. “It’s about grounding the surreal in something recognizable,” says costume designer Sarah Edwards.
The effect is hypnotic: a workplace that feels like a memory you can’t place. Even the cafeteria, with its Formica tables and Jell-O cups, blends comfort with unease—a nod to corporate conformity gone awry.
A World That Echoes Beyond the Screen
Lumon’s design isn’t random—it’s a mirror to the show’s themes. The sprawling, repetitive spaces reflect the monotony of severed lives, while the retro touches whisper of a past that never fully lets go. Hindle’s team added quirks—curved walls, hidden nooks—to keep viewers off-balance, much like the characters. “You’re always questioning what’s real,” he notes.
Fans have noticed. Since season one dropped in 2022, Severance has sparked a cult following, with its aesthetic inspiring art, memes, and even office decor. As season two nears (January 17, 2026), the Bell Labs set—now a revitalized mixed-use site—stands as a testament to Lumon’s lingering pull. It’s more than a backdrop; it’s a portal to a mid-century brutalist fever dream, where the future feels strangely, beautifully trapped.