The Haymaker VFX team has designed an abandoned hospital for the second season of Fallout, Amazon's post-apocalyptic series. The set recreates a common building in ruins, combining the franchise's characteristic retro-futuristic style with the ravages of nuclear destruction. It's not just a set; it's another character of the wasteland.
The technical process of creating retro-futuristic ruins 🛠️
To build the hospital, the team started from references of real mid-20th century medical facilities, then added layers of controlled deterioration. They used digital sculpting techniques for the rubble and matte painting to integrate the environment with the desolate landscape. Lighting was worked with practical sources and color filters, seeking a muted tone that reflects decades of neglect. Every detail, from broken neon signs to raised linoleum floors, was designed to tell a story of abandonment.
Health insurance doesn't cover gamma radiation ☢️
The funniest thing about the hospital is that, despite being destroyed, it still retains that characteristic bureaucratic air. Surely the admission counters are still asking for the insurance card before attending to a radioactive survivor. At least the lines will be shorter than in current public healthcare, although the risk of running into a ghoul in the waiting room is considerably higher.