Roberta Aguirre
In the HBO Max series Station Eleven, the Severn City Airport, a principal location in the show, was filmed at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Canada. The Ontario Science Centre is a Raymond Moriyama-designed building that opened in Toronto in 1969. The Severn City Airport was also filmed at Pearson International Airport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location of Severn City Airport in the show | A fictional city in Michigan |
| Actual filming location | Ontario Science Centre, Toronto, Ontario |
| Other filming locations for the show | Pearson International Airport, Oshawa Harbour and Marina, Toronto Pearson International Airport |
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What You'll Learn
The Ontario Science Centre was used as the Severn City Airport
The Ontario Science Centre, a building designed by Raymond Moriyama and opened in Toronto in 1969, was used as the Severn City Airport in the television adaptation of Emily St. John Mandel's post-apocalyptic novel, Station Eleven. The Ontario Science Centre served as the airport's atrium, which was first shown in episode 5 and became one of the show's principal locations. The Ontario Science Centre's Grand Hall was also featured in the show's final episode, where a visiting theatre troupe staged a production of Hamlet.
The Ontario Science Centre was chosen for its expansive breathing room and rounded walls, which allowed the show's team to build scenes around the design and create a seamless transition between the Centre and Pearson Airport, making the two places seem like one. The Ontario Science Centre added check-in desks and car rental kiosks to transform into the fictional Severn City Airport.
The television series Station Eleven is an adaptation of Emily St. John Mandel's novel of the same name, set in a fictional Michigan city and centred around a group of survivors in the aftermath of a devastating pandemic. While the show is set in the United States, it was primarily filmed in Ontario, Canada. The Ontario Science Centre, with its unique design and location in Toronto, played a significant role in bringing the fictional Severn City Airport to life on screen.
The Ontario Science Centre's appearance in Station Eleven has brought attention to the building's architectural significance and the need for its preservation. The Ontario government has raised concerns about the structure's integrity and plans to relocate the institution temporarily. However, the show's creative team and others have expressed a desire to see the Ontario Science Centre saved and offered funding and design services for repairs.
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The Ontario location was chosen despite the show being set in Michigan
The Ontario location was chosen for filming despite the show being set in Michigan, specifically in the fictional town of St. Deborah-by-the-Water. The Ontario Science Centre, a building in Toronto, was used to film scenes set in Severn City Airport. The Ontario location was chosen for its unique design, which lent monumentality to the onscreen location. The building's expansive Grand Hall, for example, provided a sense of breathing room. The rounded walls also allowed the crew to build a curve on the Pearson side, creating the seamless idea of someone walking around it while moving from one location to the next.
The Ontario Science Centre was designed by Raymond Moriyama and opened in Toronto in 1969. It was abruptly shuttered by the Ontario government due to concerns about the neglected landmark's structural integrity. The building's design played a significant role in the show's creative direction, with the crew falling in love with its unique aspects and building scenes around them. The Ontario location also provided a natural power that enhanced the onscreen monumentality of the fictional Severn City Airport.
The choice of the Ontario location demonstrates the importance of filming locations in television and film productions. While the show is set in Michigan, the Ontario location offered a unique and visually appealing backdrop for the Severn City Airport scenes. The Ontario Science Centre's design and architecture added to the overall atmosphere and tone of the show, contributing to its success and recognition, including winning the Outstanding Locations in Limited Anthology Television award at the 2022 Location Managers Guild Awards.
Additionally, Ontario offered a convenient and practical location for filming, with Toronto being no stranger to cinematic role-playing. The province has been a popular choice for filming locations, with its buildings often standing in for other destinations on screen. The Ontario Science Centre, in particular, provided a versatile space that could be transformed into an airport setting, complete with check-in desks and car rental kiosks. The crew also had to convince the audience that Pearson Airport and the Ontario Science Centre were the same place, using clever filming techniques to create a seamless transition between the two locations.
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The Ontario Science Centre is now closed
The Ontario Science Centre, which played the role of Severn City Airport in the television adaptation of Emily St. John Mandel's novel, Station Eleven, is now closed. The Ontario government has abruptly shuttered the building, citing concerns about the neglected landmark's structural integrity. The building, designed by Raymond Moriyama and opened in Toronto in 1969, served as a principal location for the show, which was mostly filmed in Ontario.
The Ontario Science Centre's Grand Hall accommodated the finale's big Hamlet performance, with the addition of check-in desks and car rental kiosks to create the atmosphere of an airport. The show's team fell in love with the design, building scenes around the Grand Hall and other aspects of the building, such as the ravine bridge walkway, which is hand-painted with a timeline of post-pandemic history in the finale.
The Ontario Science Centre was not the only filming location for the airport scenes. The crew also filmed at Pearson International Airport, with the challenge of making the two distinct locations seem like one. The Ontario Science Centre's rounded walls helped create this seamless transition, with curves built on the Pearson side to suggest someone walking around in a circle.
The Ontario Science Centre's closure is unfortunate, especially given its significance in bringing the post-apocalyptic world of Station Eleven to life. The show's creative team and several others have stepped up to offer funding and pro bono design services for repairs, but the government currently plans to relocate the institution to a temporary site while pursuing a new building.
While the Ontario Science Centre may no longer be accessible to the public, its impact on the show and its fans will be lasting. The recognition of the atrium of Severn City Airport by Toronto viewers as the Ontario Science Centre added a layer of familiarity to the show, which depicted a world recovering from a devastating pandemic.
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The show also filmed at Pearson International Airport
The show Station Eleven, adapted from the novel by Canadian writer Emily St. John Mandel, was mostly filmed in Ontario. While the Ontario Science Centre was the soul of Severn City Airport, some parts of the plot required shooting at Pearson International Airport. The production team had to marry the two locations to make them seem like one.
The Ontario Science Centre, a Raymond Moriyama design that opened in Toronto in 1969, was used as the Severn City Airport. The building was used as a quarantine camp for the Travelling Symphony, and its atrium was featured in episode 8. The Ontario Science Centre's Grand Hall was also the setting for a production of Hamlet in the show's final episode.
Pearson International Airport, meanwhile, was used for scenes that required a larger space, such as the big Hamlet performance in the finale. The production design team built curves on the Pearson side to create the illusion of a seamless transition between the two locations.
The show's production designer, Ruth Ammon, was excited about the Ontario Science Centre's rounded walls, which allowed for the seamless transition between locations. The biggest challenge, however, was convincing the audience that Pearson Airport and the Ontario Science Centre were the same place.
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The Ontario Science Centre was designed by Raymond Moriyama
The Severn City Airport in the HBO Max series Station Eleven was filmed in Ontario, Canada. The airport scenes were specifically filmed at the Ontario Science Centre, which was designed by Raymond Moriyama and opened in 1969.
The Ontario Science Centre, originally known as the Centennial Centre for Science and Technology (CCST), was designed by the renowned architect Raymond Moriyama. Moriyama's design philosophy emphasized "tactility and interaction," and he wanted the building to "connect with nature." The result was a unique structure that combined the aesthetics of a rough-hewn Mayan temple with sleek modernist architecture. Moriyama's innovative approach to design made the Ontario Science Centre a Canadian icon and influenced the design of educational spaces worldwide.
Moriyama broke down the building into three parts: part one sits on a public road, a bridge leads to part two, and an escalator down a valley takes you to part three. The use of concrete and the building's integration into its natural surroundings led some to associate it with brutalist architecture, but Moriyama's intent was to create a space that celebrated textures, spaces, and, most importantly, a connection to nature.
The Ontario Science Centre faces an uncertain future due to infrastructure issues and has been closed indefinitely. However, there has been public outcry and opposition from the architectural community to the government's plans for demolition and relocation. The building is considered a 20th-century architecture classic and a key part of Toronto's mid-century heritage. Moriyama's design has left an indelible mark on the city and continues to inspire and influence architects and designers.
While the Ontario Science Centre stands as a testament to Moriyama's genius, it is uncertain what the future holds for this iconic structure. The debate between preservation and redevelopment reflects the challenges of balancing progress with the preservation of architectural landmarks.
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Frequently asked questions
The Severn City Airport was filmed at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Canada.
The Ontario Science Centre was chosen for its expansive Grand Hall, which was essential for the big Hamlet performance in the finale. The building's rounded walls also allowed the crew to create a seamless transition between the Centre and Pearson Airport, which was also used for filming airport scenes.
Other filming locations include Pearson International Airport, Pearson's Infield Terminal, and an old Zellers in Oshawa. The show also filmed in Chicago for the first and third episodes.
No, Severn City is a fictional location in the show. However, some viewers have pointed out similarities between Severn City and Kalamazoo, Michigan, which is the location of the real-life Severn Hall at Kalamazoo College.
