Step Inside Bell Works

Step inside Bell Works, the real-life location of Lumon Industries in Severance. This architectural marvel, featured in the Apple TV+ hit series, has become a must-visit destination for fans. Its striking design and eerie corporate atmosphere make it the perfect backdrop for the show’s dystopian setting.

From History to the World of Severance

Before transforming into Lumon Industries’ fictional headquarters, Bell Works had a rich history as a center for technological innovation.

While searching for the perfect filming location, Severance‘s director of photography, Jessica Lee Gagné, stumbled upon a blog featuring eerie images of Bell Labs. This mid-century office building appeared abandoned. Despite its aging state, the structure remained impressive, with wraparound walkways, triangular skylights, a vast sunken lobby, and built-in indoor gardens.

Curious, Gagné searched for Bell Labs on Google Maps and was shocked to discover that it was a real place in Holmdel, New Jersey.

“When I saw it on the map, I thought, this can’t be real!” she recalled.

Along with Severance director and executive producer Ben Stiller, Gagné immediately visited the site. While the building had been renovated, it still retained its stark corporate atmosphere.

“I couldn’t believe how perfect it was for Severance,” she said.

From Bell Labs to Bell Works

The Bell Labs was once a global hub for scientific and technological breakthroughs, owned by AT&T’s Bell Telephone Laboratories. The building was nicknamed the “Black Box” due to its dark, rectangular exterior.

At its peak, Bell Labs employed 15,000 people, including 1,200 Ph.D. scientists. Researchers here pioneered some of the most important innovations of the 20th century, including:

• Touch-tone dialing
• Satellite communication
• Fiber optics
• Cellular technology

One of Bell Labs’ most famous achievements was the discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation, which provided evidence for the Big Bang Theory and won the 1978 Nobel Prize in Physics.

The Vision of Eero Saarinen

In 1958, Bell Labs commissioned Eero Saarinen, the world-renowned architect behind the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport, to design a modern research facility.

The result? The world’s first mirrored glass building, spanning 2 million square feet across six stories. Saarinen envisioned the space as a hub of creativity, where scientists would engage in spontaneous discussions while walking along its floating catwalks or gathering in the sunken lobby.

However, the windowless offices and maze-like corridors had the opposite effect. Employees likened the catwalks to a prison, and the building never fully delivered on Saarinen’s vision of open collaboration.

Bell Works: From Abandoned Relic to Modern Innovation Hub

In 1982, AT&T was broken up due to an antitrust case, leading to the decline of Bell Labs. By 2006, the Holmdel facility—then owned by Alcatel-Lucent—was slated for demolition. However, global outcry from the scientific community saved it from destruction.

In 2013, a developer purchased the site and transformed it into Bell Works, a multi-use innovation hub. The vast atrium, once a cold corporate space, is now a vibrant indoor promenade lined with:

• Shops & restaurants
• Co-working spaces
• A public library

Today, Bell Works functions as an “indoor city”, attracting remote workers, tech startups, and visitors looking for a unique architectural experience.

Severance Fans Flock to Bell Works

The eerie aesthetic of Bell Works has made it a major attraction for Severance fans. Many visitors come to see the real-life setting of Lumon Industries, and the location frequently hosts production crews for new seasons of the show.

For filming, the production team even brings in truckloads of ice to create Severance‘s eternal winter aesthetic.

Jessica Lee Gagné sees Bell Works as a visual metaphor for the show’s central theme—the split between work and personal identity.

“The building’s dark glass facade reflects the characters,” she said. “Who they are inside is much darker than who they appear to be on the outside.”

Visit Bell Works

Want to step inside the real-life Lumon Industries? Plan your visit:

🔗 Official Website: https://bell.works/
📍 Location: Bell Works, Holmdel, NJ
📺 Watch Severance on Apple TV+: https://tv.apple.com/