You know, the television show "Severance" has really grabbed a lot of people's attention, and part of what makes it so interesting is where everything happens. People often wonder about the actual places that bring the fictional world of Lumon Industries and Kier, the town, to life. It's pretty cool, actually, how the show uses real spots to make its story feel so, so believable, even with all the mystery involved.
Finding out just where the show was filmed can be a bit like solving a puzzle, you see. Local news stories and places like "Atlas of Wonders" have helped piece together the actual spots that make up the show's setting. It turns out that while the company, Lumon, is a made-up place with many dark things hidden away, the buildings and areas you see on screen are very much real, which is kind of neat.
So, if you've ever watched an episode and thought, "Wow, that place looks really interesting," you're not alone. The creators of the show, they picked these spots with care, and it shows. From the outside of that big, sleek company building to the smaller town scenes, every location helps build the unique feel of "Severance," making it a truly unforgettable viewing experience, in a way.
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It's always a bit of a thrill to find out where our favorite shows are actually put together, isn't it? For "Severance," the story of where it all happens is just as intriguing as the show itself. People who follow local news, and some keen observers from places like "Atlas of Wonders," have done some digging to figure out the actual places that stand in for the made-up town of Kier, where a lot of the story takes place. This detective work, you know, it helps us connect with the show on a slightly different level, seeing the real places behind the fiction.
The show, it really does a wonderful job of making its settings feel like characters in their own right, so. The way they picked these spots, it helps give the show its very distinct atmosphere. It's not just about what happens to the people, but also about where it happens, and how that place feels. That's a big part of what makes "Severance" so captivating for so many viewers, I mean, the overall sense of place.
When you watch the series, you might notice that some parts of the story, like Mark's experiences, they unfold in a way that feels very particular to the surroundings. The way the show uses its physical backdrops, it really helps to tell the story without saying a word. This careful selection of actual places for the fictional world, it just adds another layer to the whole viewing experience, honestly.
When you think about "Severance," the first place that probably comes to mind is that big, mysterious company, Lumon Industries. That's where a lot of the action is, after all, and it's where many of the show's dark secrets are kept, you know. While the company itself is a made-up entity, the offices where everyone works are very real places, giving the show its unique visual style. It's kind of interesting how they make a fictional corporation feel so, so tangible.
The show does a good job of keeping you guessing about the exact time period and, in some ways, the precise location too. It's not always super clear which specific spot serves as the main home for Lumon, even though we see so much of it. This sort of ambiguity, it just adds to the overall feeling of mystery that runs through the whole series, which is pretty clever, actually. You're always wondering a little bit more about everything.
Beyond the corporate offices, there's also the town of Kier, which is where Mark and some of the other characters live their "outside" lives. This town, too, is a fictional creation, but scenes set there were filmed in real places, making it feel very much a part of our world. It's a neat trick, making a made-up town seem like somewhere you could just drive through, almost, if you were in the right spot.
It's pretty fascinating to learn about the actual structures that give "Severance" its distinct look, isn't it? One of the most recognizable spots, the outside of Lumon Industries, is actually what was once known as Bell Labs in Holmdel Township, New Jersey. This building, it's got a very particular kind of style, with its sleek glass and big, open spaces, so. It really does help set the tone for the company, making it seem both modern and a little bit cold, you know, just like Lumon itself.
A lot of the indoor scenes, the ones where the characters are working in those very specific office areas, were put together on soundstages. These sets, they were mostly built at York Studios, which is located in the Bronx, New York. This place, it served as the main spot for filming a good chunk of the series. So, while the outside of Lumon is one real building, the inside is often a carefully constructed set, giving the creators a lot of control over the look and feel, which is kind of cool.
The design of these soundstage sets, it really helps to create that slightly unsettling, futuristic, yet also kind of retro, atmosphere that the show is known for. The vast, open atrium, for example, it's part of what makes Lumon feel so imposing. The way they built these spaces, it truly helps to tell the story of a company that feels both advanced and strangely isolated, in a way, like it's its own little world.
Beyond the main corporate building and the soundstages, "Severance" also took its cameras to some other interesting spots, especially in New York. For example, in the second episode of season one, the one called "Half Loop," there are scenes set in the town of Kier. These particular moments, like when Mark is on a date with Alexa, were actually filmed in the city of Beacon, which is located in Dutchess County. It's a pretty charming town, and it gives those "outside" scenes a very different feel from the Lumon offices, you see.
The state of New York, it turns out, is a very important spot for putting "Severance" together. There are even three places in Ulster County that show up as iconic spots in the series. One of these, for instance, is Pip's Bar & Grille. This place, it was actually filmed at the Phoenicia Diner, which is a well-known spot itself. It's kind of neat how they use these real, everyday places to ground the more unusual parts of the story, making it feel more relatable, in some respects.
The Hudson Valley area of New York is also a big part of the show's visual identity. A good portion of "Severance" was filmed there, particularly in the city of Kingston. This area, with its varied scenery, provides a lot of different backdrops for the characters' lives outside of Lumon. It helps to show that there's a whole world out there beyond those corporate walls, which is a really important contrast for the show, you know.
The places where "Severance" is filmed really do play a huge part in how the show feels overall, don't they? The creators, they picked these spots very carefully to help build that slightly eerie and unsettling mood that runs through the whole series. From the outside of Lumon, with its sleek glass look, to its huge, modern-looking inside area, the former Bell Labs in Holmdel, New Jersey, was just the right spot for the fictional Lumon Industries. It just screams mystery, doesn't it?
The way the show looks, it's pretty unique compared to other things you might watch on television. This comes from a combination of the way things are filmed, the clever set designs, and those really memorable places they chose. The visuals are just stunning, and the sets are put together with so much thought, so. It all works together to create a world that feels both familiar and deeply strange, which is a pretty powerful combination, honestly.
When you see the show's stunning visuals and those very detailed sets, you can tell a lot of effort went into making the world of "Severance" feel truly real, even though the premise is so out there. Every choice, from the architecture of Lumon to the look of the town, helps to deepen the show's themes of identity and what it means to be a person in a very, very controlled environment. It just makes you think, doesn't it?
For those of us who just can't get enough of "Severance," the news about where they've been filming for season two is pretty exciting. Apple TV+ has actually confirmed that some of the filming for the new season happened in Minnewaska State Park Preserve. This park, it's about two and a half hours north of New York City, up in Ulster County. So, it seems like they're still exploring those beautiful, natural New York landscapes for the show's outdoor scenes, which is kind of nice to hear.
The fact that they're returning to these sorts of natural, open spaces for the next season suggests that the outdoor elements will continue to play a big part in the story. It provides a good contrast to the very contained and controlled environment of Lumon Industries. This park, you know, it offers a very different kind of feel, one that's perhaps more about freedom and the natural world, which could be important for the characters' journeys, you see.
It's always interesting to see how a show builds on its visual world from one season to the next. The continued use of diverse locations, from the striking architecture of Lumon to the expansive beauty of state parks, helps to keep the show's look fresh while still feeling like the same universe. It makes you wonder what new parts of the story these places will help to tell, doesn't it?
With "Severance" being such a big hit, and with news of a third season already out there, it's natural to wonder about where the story might take us next, in terms of its physical surroundings. The show has already captivated audiences with its very unique mix of thrilling moments, clever set designs, and those really memorable places where it all happens. So, the choices for future filming spots will likely continue to be very thoughtful, you know.
The show's creators, including Ben Stiller who directs and helps produce, have clearly shown a knack for picking places that truly serve the story. Whether it's the sleek, somewhat cold look of Lumon or the more familiar, yet still mysterious, feel of the town of Kier, every location adds to the overall experience. This careful approach to choosing where to film is probably going to continue, making sure the show keeps its distinctive visual identity, I mean, that's what makes it stand out.
As the story develops, and as we learn more about the characters like Mark, whose memories are divided by his employer, the settings will likely continue to reflect the themes of identity and what it means to be in control of your own life. The places we see on screen, they're not just backdrops; they're very much a part of the show's deeper message, and that's something to look forward to, in a way, seeing how they use them next.
Looking back at where "Severance" has taken us so far, it's clear that the choice of filming spots has been a big part of its appeal. The main filming happened in New York and New Jersey, with principal photography for the first season starting in October 2020. This broad geographic spread allowed the creators to find just the right buildings and landscapes to bring their vision to life, which is pretty important for a show with such a specific mood, so.
The show, created by Dan Erickson and directed by people like Aoife McArdle and Ben Stiller, has received a lot of praise for its fresh idea, blending science fiction with drama and suspense. The physical locations chosen for filming, they really help to bring those elements together, making the fictional world feel incredibly real. From the imposing Bell Works, once known as the Bell Labs Holmdel Complex, to the various spots in New York's Hudson Valley, every place plays its part.
It's pretty amazing how these real-world places are transformed into the eerie, intriguing world of "Severance." The way the show uses its surroundings, whether it's a grand, historic building or a quiet park, helps to tell a story that explores big ideas about who we are and the effect technology can have on our lives. It's a testament to how much thought goes into every part of making a show like this, from the script to the very ground the characters walk on, you know.