Makwa Waakaa’igan Indigenous Centre of Cultural Excellence at Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario serves as a beacon for healing, cultural preservation, and cross-cultural learning. Drawing from Indigenous teachings, the design symbolizes Makwa (the Bear) as a healer and protector, rising from the land toward the spirits. Its form and materials are deeply rooted in the natural landscape, creating a blend of architecture and environment. The centre provides spaces for gathering, learning, and ceremony while inviting reflection on the site’s history as a former residential school. Thorbahn Acoustics provided support to the project team to verify that the design meets appropriate acoustic and noise criteria for a learning and gathering environment. We provided design recommendations to address the acoustic performance of multi-storey gathering and cultural learning spaces, to isolate classrooms from other noise-generating spaces, and to ensure that mechanical equipment sound levels were kept sufficiently low in sensitive areas.