Severance: Inside The Real-Life Haven Behind Lumon's Corporate Hell

Bell Works, the architectural marvel (once known as Bell Labs) that serves as the imposing headquarters of Lumon Industries in Apple TV's Emmy-nominated series, "Severance," is a very real place in Holmdel, New Jersey. Once a hub of innovation, it’s now a 2-million-square-foot “metroburb” blending coworking and traditional office spaces with shops, restaurants, fitness centers, sports facilities, event venues and more—a profound and fascinating contrast to its on-screen alter ego.

Under the leadership of Emmy-nominated production designer Jeremy Hindle, the "Severance" team meticulously inverted Bell Works' vibrant reality, undoing 10 years of work by stripping signage and installing their own set elements to create Lumon's stark, controlled aesthetic. Despite the contrast, Bell Works is very proud to host Severance, as it draws immense social media and real-life attention, sparking a global fascination with the building's iconic architecture and its profound real-world purpose.

The original Bell Labs opened in 1962 as a beacon of innovation, serving as the birthplace of groundbreaking technologies like the microchip, the cell phone, and the satellite. It earned countless patents and as many as eight Nobel Prizes, fundamentally changing our world. After its heyday, the building became too big and too costly, eventually facing calls for demolition. Ralph Zucker's team acquired the building in 2007, protecting the incredible mid-century modernism and transforming the largest vacant office in the United States into a bustling mixed-use hub.

While you may not see Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Patricia Arquette—or even executive producer Ben Stiller—strolling through its corridors on a daily basis, you can still visit Bell Works and get a tangible glimpse into the world of Lumon Industries. It's a unique opportunity to witness firsthand the iconic architecture that brings "Severance" to life, and experience the striking contrast between its chilling on-screen alter ego and the building's vibrant real-world purpose. Indeed, people now come from all over the world just to see this extraordinary space.

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