News | Project Updates
Astra Tower Opens
Not just the tallest building in Utah, the 41-story Astra Tower also boasts distinctive features such as an air quality beacon and the state’s largest mural. It officially opened last week in Salt Lake City.
We provided structural design services for the luxury residential building, designed by HKS, Inc. and developed by Kensington Investment Company. Rising more than 450 feet, Astra Tower offers a mix of apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom units, including two levels of penthouse residences. Because the tower’s height exceeds code limits for a single lateral force-resisting system, a performance-based design approach was employed, resulting in a structure engineered to withstand seismic events with a 2,500-year recurrence interval. The building’s structure consists of flat plate post-tensioned concrete slabs and cast-in-place concrete columns, with a lateral system of concrete shear walls at the core and egress stairways.
"Astra Tower represents a bold step forward for Salt Lake City—not only as Utah’s tallest building but as a symbol of what resilient, healthy, and forward-thinking architecture can achieve."
Amenities include a fitness studio, sauna, club lounge, rooftop terrace, pet spa, coworking spaces, and communal areas at the upper floors with panoramic views of the Wasatch Range.
The tower’s western facade features a 13,000-square-foot monumental mural by artists Joseph Toney and Miles Toland celebrating the state’s culture and natural beauty. It is topped by a crown lighting system that displays real-time air quality data in partnership with Utah Clean Air. Pursuing LEED Gold certification, Astra Tower incorporates advanced air filtration systems, operable windows and in-unit air quality sensors to help residents combat the city’s notoriously poor air quality.
See more of our innovative engineering for Utah's Resilient Future