Fans of Severance know Lumon Industries as a sterile, mind-bending corporate maze. But what if we told you that the hauntingly beautiful building featured in the show is actually real and far from dystopian?
Welcome to Bell Works in Holmdel, New Jersey: the real-life filming location of Severance, a national landmark of architectural innovation, and one of the most vibrant live-work destinations in the country.
Whether you’re visiting as a fan of the show or just discovering this stunning space for the first time, Bell Works offers much more than a cinematic photo op. It’s a place to work, shop, eat, connect, explore, and stay for a while.
From Abandoned Lab to Award-Winning Metroburb
Bell Works was originally built in 1959 as the Bell Labs Holmdel Complex – a research facility for AT&T where over 6,000 engineers once developed game-changing technologies like lasers, satellite systems, and the first cellular phone.
After years of abandonment, the building sat dormant until developer Ralph Zucker and Somerset Development reimagined it as something entirely new: a Metroburb, or little metropolis in suburbia. In 2015, renovations began to transform the five-story, two-million-square-foot building into a walkable, all-in-one community for work, play, and innovation.
Today, Bell Works is not only 99% leased, but it’s buzzing with life, creativity, and culture.
Why Severance Was Filmed Here And Why You’ll Want to Visit
The building’s modernist design, by the famed architect Eero Saarinen, was key to its selection as the fictional headquarters of Lumon Industries. With its endless hallways, concrete symmetry, and glass façade, Bell Works made the perfect stand-in for the show’s unsettling corporate world.
But in real life, the building couldn’t be more different.
“The True Star of the Show” – The New York Times
Step inside and you’ll discover a vibrant open atrium filled with sunlight, trees, lounge areas, cafés, wellness studios, and boutique storefronts. It’s the polar opposite of Severance‘s severed floor, and that’s exactly the point.
Saarinen designed the building to liberate people from long, boring office hallways, and the current design embraces that vision with warmth, light, and openness. Whether you’re coming to play with your kids on the turf, attend a wedding in the Ballroom, or meet friends for lunch at Bell Market, the space fosters connection in every way.
Things to Do at Bell Works NJ (It’s More Than Just a Filming Location)
This is more than just a set – it’s a full lifestyle experience packed with things to do at Bell Works NJ, whether you’re visiting for work, play, or curiosity.
Office + Coworking
- 98% leased, Bell Works is home to major companies like Nvidia, Cisco, iCIMS, and Guardian Life
- Flexible office solutions and coworking via coLab
- A unique place to work where innovation meets community (and yes, you can work where Severance was filmed!)
Dining & Drinks
- Bell Market: A modern food hall with wood-fired pizza, sushi, salads, sandwiches, and local coffee. Check out each resaturant inside Bell Market:
- Broadfork: A Garden State greens and grains spot serving nutrient-rich salads and bowls made with locally sourced produce.
- Corbo & Sons: Italian comfort food made in New Jersey, with pizzas, fresh pasta, and cozy classics.
- Honeybell Bakery & Café: Offers baked goods, seasonal drinks, and handcrafted coffee.
- Jozu: Japanese precision meets fast-casual dining with made-to-order sushi hand rolls, ramen, robatayaki skewers, and poke bowls.
- Yeeroz: Mediterranean-style gyros and rice bowls packed with flavor and freshness.
- Bar Bella: A public cocktail bar that transforms into a summer hotspot with DJ nights and live events
- Bar Bella Inverno / Verano: Seasonal lounges perfect for after-work drinks or enjoying live music
- Booskerdoo Coffee & Baking Co.: Locally roasted coffee and fresh-baked snacks in a cozy, full-service café.
- Estrella Azul: Modern Mexican favorites like al pastor tacos and buffalo chicken burritos, with a seasonal rotating menu.
- Jersey Freeze: A beloved local staple serving premium soft-serve, hard ice cream, shakes, cones, cakes, and more.
- Mezza Luna: Italian-inspired fare with a modern twist, including pastas and sandwiches on fresh-baked bread.
- Miznon: Globally inspired pitas made from fresh, local ingredients, bringing international flavor and flair to every bite.
- Mabel’s: A full-service indoor restaurant offering coastal European–inspired sips and bites.
Shopping & Services
- Boutique stores and a florist
- Personal care services like salons, dog grooming, and childcare centers
- Holmdel Montessori School and the Holmdel Library inside the building
Wellness
- Studios like The Bar Method, pilates, martial arts, and a full-service gym
- A salon and a barbershop
- Outdoor walking areas around Zen Lake, perfect for a midday reset
Arts & Entertainment
- The Bell Theater hosts comedy, live music, and local performances
- Indoor golf simulator and outdoor driving range for recreational play and team outings
- Podcasting studio and escape room experiences
- Public events, including farmers and makers markets, cultural festivals, and more
Events, Weddings & Retreats
- The Roof Deck: A stunning outdoor venue overlooking Zen Lake
- The Ballroom: Perfect for corporate galas, weddings, and conferences
- The Block: A quarter-mile-long piazza under one of the largest photovoltaic sunroofs in the world
- Kosher events and weddings with on-site catering from Pa’amon Catering
The Juxtaposition: Lumon vs. Life at Bell Works
The eerie, minimalist corridors of Lumon Industries only tell one story.
In reality, Bell Works is a space designed for people, not control. It’s a building with deep roots in American innovation, a vibrant present, and a community-driven future. From the Moms meetups and study groups to rooftop receptions and daily dog walkers, this place lives and breathes.
It may have played a dystopian corporation on TV, but here, Bell Works is the opposite of isolation. It brings connection.
Plan Your Visit
Whether you’re coming for the Severance connection or just exploring things to do at Bell Works NJ, you’ll find yourself in a destination that blends history, innovation, and community like nowhere else in New Jersey.
Come walk the same halls as Adam Scott’s character, then grab a bite, visit the shops, or catch a show. You might come for the filming location, but you’ll stay for everything else.
101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733
Open to the public 7 days a week from 6:00 am-12:00 am
Have you visited Bell Works yet? Come see why it’s the true star of the show.
