Last month marked a historic moment as ground was broken on Makwa Waakaa’igan, Ontario’s first Residential School Survivor-led National Centre of Cultural Excellence. Located at Algoma University on the site of the former Shingwauk Residential School in Sault Ste. Marie, this transformative project, designed in partnership with Smoke Architecture, is being realized through the leadership of the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association (CSAA) and Algoma University.

This earth turning gathering brought together Survivors, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, elected officials, and community leaders to honour the deep spiritual and cultural significance of this site. Makwa Waakaa’igan Indigenous Centre of Cultural Excellence will serve as a national hub for healing, learning, and cross-cultural understanding, showcasing the strength of Indigenous knowledge systems and the CSAA’s enduring vision.

Moriyama Teshima Architects is honoured to be part of this journey, led by Partner-in-Charge Carol Phillips working closely with Eladia Smoke of Smoke Architecture. Construction is now underway, and with it begins a new chapter rooted in truth, reconciliation, and hope, with an estimated completion date of November 2026.

Learn more about the project here.

Photography Credit: Algoma University