The acclaimed HBO series 'Industry' has significantly broadened its spatial narrative in its fourth season, moving beyond the confined intensity of investment banking offices and nascent city dwellings. As the protagonists, including Harper Stern, Yasmin Hanani, and Eric Tao, ascend in their demanding financial careers, the show's settings mirror their journey, evolving into magnificent country manors, distinguished traditional offices, avant-garde tech hubs, and diverse global locales. This shift in production design, masterfully overseen by Simon Rogers, transforms the backdrop from mere scenery into a critical element that underscores the characters' internal struggles and the corrupting allure of immense wealth.
Details on the Dramatic Environments of 'Industry' Season 4
The latest season of 'Industry,' primarily filmed in picturesque Wales, saw production designer Simon Rogers and his team meticulously construct two pivotal sets at Bad Wolf Studios. The first was the sleek, modern office of Tender, a fintech startup led by Whitney Halberstram. This space, characterized by its reflective surfaces, glass, and concrete, deliberately obscures transparency, hinting at the secretive practices of the company. In stark contrast to the more traditional, wood-paneled offices of Otto Mostyn where Harper previously worked, Tender's environment is designed to appear visually confusing yet aesthetically pleasing, emphasizing a sense of unease and hidden agendas. Rogers explains that these design choices were intentional, providing thematic reinforcement and suggesting characters might be confined or deceitful within these settings.
The second custom-built set was the opulent hotel suite serving as the dual headquarters and residence for SternTao, the fund established by Harper and Eric. This lavish setting, adorned with gilded elements, damask fabrics, intricate chinoiserie screens, vintage furniture, and contemporary art, was chosen to reflect Eric Tao's Midas-like persona. Rogers revelled in creating a London five-star hotel atmosphere, with every detail, from the decor to the implied monthly cost of $100,000, underscoring the vast financial stakes and resources at the characters' disposal.
Beyond these constructed environments, the series leverages grand historical locations to portray the upper echelons of society. Muck Manor, the country estate shared by Henry and Yasmin, is a composite of several historic British houses. Longleat, an Elizabethan prodigy estate from 1580, lent its grand staircase and a striking red dining room for a costume party scene. Rogers intentionally highlighted the decay and age of these stately homes, using their tarnished beauty to symbolize fortunes built on questionable pasts and to illustrate Henry's reluctance to embrace such a burdensome legacy. Henry's somber bedroom was filmed at Norton Hall in the Cotswolds, selected for its dark paneling to convey his melancholic state. The shared bedroom of Henry and Yasmin, featuring a gilded mantelpiece and a canopy bed, was sourced from another house, chosen for its silver and monochrome palette to represent a lack of warmth and the threadbare reality behind opulence.
The season also ventures into Austrian aristocracy, with a castle in episode three serving as the residence of Johanna and Moritz Bauer. This location was ingeniously brought to life by Castell Coch, a Gothic Revival castle in Tongwynlais, Wales. Despite the challenge of transforming a Welsh landmark into an Austrian one by concealing local iconography and introducing specific furnishings, the setting successfully conveyed the ancient wealth of the European elite.
Even minor interior details hold significant narrative weight. Harper's apartment, a modern space overlooking the Thames, was deliberately chosen to depict her ambition, offering a panoramic view of London's financial districts—her next 'conquest.' The show's global reach expanded further with scenes set in Ghana, filmed across Accra, Wales, and South Africa, showcasing a spectrum of locations from bustling storefronts to luxury hotels and desolate warehouses. As 'Industry' continues to unfold, Rogers anticipates exploring even more diverse and captivating destinations, constantly innovating to reflect the multifaceted world of its characters.
The evolution of set design in 'Industry' offers a profound commentary on the intertwining of physical spaces and psychological states. By meticulously crafting environments that range from stark, modern offices to decadent, aging estates, the show's creators provide viewers with a richer understanding of their characters' ambitions, fears, and moral compromises. This artistic choice elevates the narrative, turning each setting into a silent, yet powerful, character in itself, reflecting the seductive and often corrosive nature of unchecked power and wealth.