Following Emmy wins for production design, art director Brian Grego reveals how the team behind Apple TV+’s The Studio created a realistic Frank Lloyd Wright–style building from scratch.
Designing a Wright-Inspired Hollywood Studio
The show centers on Continental Studios, a fictional Hollywood studio at its heyday in the 1920s and ’30s. Rather than replicating an existing Wright building, the production team sought to envision what Wright might have designed for a major studio.
“We wanted to be inspired by Frank, but wanted it to feel unique to Hollywood and to Continental Studios,” said Grego.
The aesthetic drew from Wright’s Mayan Revival homes in Los Angeles, including Hollyhock House (1921) and Ennis House (1925), featuring his signature textile blocks and geometric motifs. Wright’s name is referenced multiple times in the show to reinforce authenticity.
Fabricating the Set
- The ground floor exterior was constructed alongside a car park on the Warner Bros lot in Los Angeles, with a two-story set built at the studio.
- Thousands of custom textile blocks were fabricated using CNC routing, laser cutting, and foam casting, then unified with plaster.
- To mimic Wright’s concrete finish, plasterers incorporated materials like welding slag, creating a subtle shimmer reminiscent of brass shavings in the original houses.
Furnishing in Wright’s Style
Set decorator Claire Kaufman furnished the studio with bespoke pieces in Wright’s style, including desks, chairs, and conference tables.
“Claire started six weeks before we filmed, so the ability to design and build and dress in that amount of time is really remarkable,” said Grego.
Some furniture was custom-built due to tight deadlines, while Wright-inspired reissues from Steelcase were referenced for authenticity.
Crafting a Believable Hollywood Illusion
The goal was to create a building that felt historically significant, architecturally authentic, and cinematic, reflecting Continental Studios’ former grandeur while supporting the show’s satirical edge.
“You can get away with making fun of something if you prove that you know it really well,” Grego explained.
The meticulous attention to detail—from textile blocks to custom furnishings—helped the team achieve a fragile illusion that convinced even seasoned art directors that the building was a real Frank Lloyd Wright design.