The most buzzed-about new set for the two-part finale of Star Trek: Discovery season two is undoubtedly the bridge of the USS Enterprise. We’re taking a look at the design process behind the new take on the iconic ship, with more images and video of the bridge and the other areas of the Enterprise we saw in part one of “Such Sweet Sorrow.”

Designer discusses Enterprise bridge

Discovery production designer Tamara Deverell spoke to SyFyWire and StarTrek.com about designing the bridge set. Here are some of the highlights:

Work started back in season one

I actually started designing the interior of the Enterprise in season one. There was some thinking that the writers wanted to [use those interiors] earlier, but then we revealed the Enterprise at the end of season one. Starting the design work way back then … was a good thing because when we came to the end of season two, they actually had concept illustrations and most of the bridge of the ship worked out.

Authentic TOS buttons were used for the controls

We actually got some reproductions of the original buttons on the console, the same exact size and color, and we used those as the basis of our buttons.

The buttons came from huge TOS fan and owner of the Official Star Trek Set Tour, James Cawley:

Wow! Do these buttons look familiar? They should! James sent hundreds of buttons to the @startrekcbs production team last year for their version of the Enterprise bridge for Star Trek Discovery!

Come see our buttons @startrektour ! https://t.co/y1EYEEfAay pic.twitter.com/Q4szB4rSH7 — @startrektour (@startrektour) April 12, 2019

Getting that TOS orange-red color just right

There is a distinct “Enterprise Red,” I actually took that color from the CBS archives … and it was orange! In certain episodes of TOS, the red became more of an orange. I went insane looking at different color tests. It is red. But, in canon, it’s also orange. In the end, I think it was fine and everyone was happy.

Respecting the classic design

I wanted to echo and be sensitive to The Original Series, so we were looking a lot at the original bridge and its geometry and where everyone was sitting. Still, while we remained true to the design, there’s a new methodology. It was exciting, yes. Terrifying, a little bit, for sure. You can’t worry too much about the history of Star Trek when you work on stuff like this. You can only look at canon and try to follow it with our vision and our Discovery world in mind.

It was a new set built on an extra soundstage

The Enterprise set was completely new, we got a new stage and away we went. There was not one single element of it that was reused. What you’re seeing was really there.

Watch: The Enterprise Bridge

CBS has released a new video today, with Rebecca Romijn and Anthony Rapp speaking about stepping on the bridge of the Enterprise.

More images of the Enterprise bridge and interiors

Star Trek: Discovery is available exclusively in the USA on CBS All Access. It airs in Canada on Space and streams on CraveTV. It is available on Netflix everywhere else.

Keep up with all the Star Trek: Discovery news at TrekMovie.