Industry season 4: how sets mirror the dark side of wealth
The evolution of sets reflects character growth
HBO’s Industry has always been known for its sharp writing and compelling characters. In season 4, the show's production design takes on a more vital role, mirroring the characters' escalating ambitions and moral compromises. Moving beyond the initial confines of Pierpoint's office, we see the young financiers navigate lavish country estates, high-tech startup headquarters, and international destinations, visually representing their shifting power and influence. Production designer Simon Rogers has skillfully used these environments to enhance the narrative.
Thematic reinforcement through architecture
Rogers emphasized that set design isn’t merely aesthetic; it’s integral to the storytelling. “All the decisions I’m making are really there to provide thematic reinforcement to the story,” he explains. The sets aren't just backdrops; they actively comment on the characters' actions and suggest their potential entrapment by their surroundings. This approach creates a visual language that underscores the growing sense of unease and moral ambiguity throughout the season. The contrast between environments becomes a powerful storytelling tool.
Tender's office: a reflection of hidden practices
One of the newly constructed sets for season 4 is the office of Tender, a FinTech startup led by Whitney Halberstram. The modernist space, filled with glass walls and hard surfaces, deliberately creates a sense of opacity and hidden practices. Rogers aimed to create a space that felt “not a very safe place,” with sharp edges and a confusing visual layout, reflecting the company's dubious business dealings. The design reinforces the theme of financial opacity.
Sterntao's gold-plated headquarters
Another custom-built set houses SternTao, the partnership between Harper Stern and Eric Tao, and serves as Tao’s residence. Employing a lavish color palette dominated by gold, the designers visually represent Tao’s “King Midas” persona. The space is adorned with damask, lacquered chinoiserie screens, antiques, and gilded artwork, all contributing to an atmosphere of excessive wealth and ambition. Rogers notes that the room costs Tao $100,000 a month.
Muck manor: decay and dark secrets
The most opulent locations featured belong to the upper echelon, particularly Henry Muck’s country estate, now shared with Yasmin Hanani. Filmed across multiple historic houses like Dyrham Park and Longleat, the manor’s interiors and exteriors showcase a blend of grandeur and disrepair. Rather than portraying reverence, Rogers focused on the darker aspects, emphasizing the history of exploitation and the weight of secrets embedded within the estate’s walls, reflecting the characters' own moral compromises.
Beyond the manor: locations in wales and accra
The series expanded beyond the UK, showcasing locations in Ghana (filmed in Accra, Wales, and South Africa). These included storefronts, luxury hotels, and abandoned warehouses, creating a diverse and immersive world. Even smaller details, like Harper’s apartment overlooking the Thames, were carefully chosen to convey character traits and ambitions. The production design supports the show’s increasingly global scope and complex narratives. The use of Castell Coch in Wales to represent an Austrian castle exemplifies the creative problem-solving involved in bringing the show's vision to life.