HKS Named AIA Utah’s 2025 Firm of the Year
HKS has been named the 2025 AIA Utah Firm of the Year in recognition of significant and lasting contributions to the design profession and built environment across Salt Lake City and the state of Utah.
From sky-defining modern towers to innovative adaptations of historic landmarks, HKS’ work merges global experience and design expertise with strong local partnerships and community stewardship to deliver places that are inclusive, resilient and catalytic.
“HKS is honored to be named AIA Utah’s 2025 Firm of the Year,” said Dan Noble, HKS CEO and Chairman. “This award celebrates the dedication, creativity and vision of our outstanding Salt Lake City team, whose work exemplifies our commitment to regenerative design and adaptive reuse in shaping resilient, connected communities. We are grateful to AIA Utah for this recognition and will continue striving to create places that inspire and transform.”
“This award celebrates the dedication, creativity and vision of our outstanding Salt Lake City team.”
Dan Noble,
HKS CEO and Chairman
Since opening our Salt Lake City studio in 1999, HKS has witnessed firsthand the region’s growth and has been proud to contribute to its evolution into a hub for innovation in technology, health care, education and banking—recently recognized as one of the top performing cities in the U.S. based on job growth, wages and housing affordability. As Salt Lake City continues to grow and gain global attention, from the Olympics to major tech investment, our role as forward-thinking designers becomes even more vital.
In Astra Tower—Utah’s new tallest building—HKS set new standards for multifamily residential design by delivering an urban lifestyle that is focused on sustainability, wellness and connections to nature that benefit tower residents and the city at large. Through an innovative central air intake system, outdoor air is brought into the 41-story building and distributed directly to and through each of the 370+ residences before being released back outdoors. The building’s exhaust is cleaner than the air it takes in, thanks to hospital-grade filtration and other high-performance design strategies, making Astra Tower a net-positive contributor to the city’s air quality.
Our work in transforming the historic Union Pacific Depot into the Asher Adams, a luxury destination within Marriott’s Autograph Collection, similarly raises the bar for hospitality in the region, and aligns with Salt Lake City’s long-term vision to foster a vibrant public realm, street-level activation and sustained economic vitality. Paired with a seamlessly integrated new guestroom tower, the stunning restoration of the century-old train depot and its grand hall not only rejuvenates an architectural landmark, the project also invigorates an expansive urban district with pedestrian connections to parks, retail, commercial, sports and entertainment spaces.
“We are thankful to the clients and partners who invite us into their most meaningful projects and the impact they have on our community,” said HKS Partner and Salt Lake City Office Director Emir Tursic. “We’re proud of our community engagements through HKS’ social impact initiative, Citizen HKS, with organizations like Make-A-Wish Utah. And we are deeply appreciative of partnerships with the University of Utah, which enable us to mentor future design leaders and contribute to Salt Lake City’s development.”
“We are thankful to the clients and partners who invite us into their most meaningful projects and the impact they have on our community.”
Emir Tursic,
Partner and Salt Lake City Office Director
HKS’ work in Salt Lake City and beyond reflects our commitment to both design excellence and public benefit. We aim to create places that are meaningful, sustainable and memorable, and that contribute to Salt Lake City’s civic identity—sparking repeat visits as well as further investments, and building upon decades of positive momentum to continue the region’s forward progress.
