Astra Tower

The Challenge

In an era of urban renaissance, rapid population growth, and climate change, residential high-rise buildings must provide high-density lifestyle living while minimizing impact on the environment and being resilient to evolving climatic conditions. Astra Tower rises above these challenges as a unique 41-story urban community focused on health and wellness that tackles one of the region’s most imminent environmental threats: air quality. 

The Design Solution

Astra Tower promotes wellness and resiliency at a variety of scales. The HKS architecture team and interior designers from ROAM envisioned an environment focused on the physical and cognitive well-being of residents. The building’s biophilic design features an extensive amenity program and luxury residences that connect with Salt Lake City’s natural surroundings and encourage an active, healthy and restorative lifestyle. 

Astra Tower minimizes its carbon footprint, energy consumption and the use of natural resources through an efficient vertical organization and performance-based design for all major building systems. The structural system follows industry-leading performance standards rather than code prescriptive requirements and was engineered to withstand significant seismic events. 

The building filters polluted outdoor air through an air filtration system that then pumps higher-quality air into each residential unit. Units also feature low-VOC materials to further support healthy indoor air. Lighting on the building’s upper tiers are tied to live air quality monitors and change colors to signify changes in air quality to the wider community. Matching lighting is displayed in the building’s elevators and on monitors in the lobby.

The Design Impact

As the new tallest building in Utah, Astra Tower is a model of sustainable residential design. It raises local awareness of outdoor air quality, setting a unique example of environmental stewardship in the region. Designed to enrich lives and foster meaningful connections, Astra Tower is beacon for wellness-oriented urban living.