MWA
MWA | Medieval Wooden Architecture
V I S I O N & M I S S I O N
MWA is a private project by White Oak Arkitecture, launched in March 2024, with the aim of developing and funding historical and archaeological research, and museums with full-scale reconstructons, focused on medieval wooden architecture and its archetypes.
I N T E R N A T I O N A L R E F E R E N C E S
MWA is committed to be aligned with the principles and aims of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the United Nations Global Compact. MWA is committed to join the United Nations Gobal Compact.
L O G O
The logo has been inspired by the three royal burial mounds (Kungshögarna) at the Norse site of Gamla Uppsala, in Sweden. The three cusps of the letters M and W represent the three royal mounds. The geometry of the whole logo is based on the number 4, with the name MWA designed as a sequence of four identical triangles.
photo by Wiglaf, Royal Mounds at Gamla Uppsala
Research and Museums
Krunatun
Research and Museum project _ Corleto Monforte (Italy)
March 2024 - open The Krunatun project aims at creating a territorial medieval wooden architecture museum with headquarters in the town of Corleto Monforte (Salerno, Italy), in the heart of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano, and Monti Alburni National Park (UNESCO Site since 1998). The museum will celebrate the history and architecture of the Longobard County with seat in Corleto Monforte, supposing it was established in years 570-575, as part of the Duchy of Benevento, then passed to the Principality of Salerno around year 850, and ended around year 1075 with the Norman conquest of Southern Italy.
The first results became a book published on 4 December 2024.
Between April 2025 and May 2026, 10 Municipalities established a partnership for funding the Krunatun project through the Ministry of Culture. Towns: Altavilla Silentina (2025), Castel San Lorenzo (2025), Corleto Monforte (2025, lead town), Felitto (2025), Laurino (2025), Magliano Vetere (2025), Ottati (2026), Sant'Angelo a Fasanella (2026), Serre (2025), Sicignano degli Alburni (2025).
In April 2026, the National Park of Cilento, Diano and Alburni approved the museum's concept which includes the full-scale reconstruction of a longhouse in the territory of Corleto Monforte.
book Thomas Allocca (4 December 2024), Krunatun. Corleto Monforte in the Longobard Early Middle Ages. Corleto Monforte nell'Alto Medioevo Longobardo, English and Italian text, published by Medieval Wooden Architecture research and museums project by White Oak Arkitecture, Marigliano, Italy
Helfara
Research and Museum project _ Sant'Angelo a Fasanella (Italy)
March 2025 - open The Helfara project aims at creating a medieval museum in the town of Sant'Angelo a Fasanella (Salerno, Italy), to celebrate the history and architecture of the Longobard fortified settlement of Helfara, then named Fasanella, from which the actual Sant'Angelo a Fasanella was born, as a strategic military and religious center of the Longobard County with seat at the close Corleto Monforte (see Krunatun project). The first historical and non-invasive archaeological research have been focused on the area of the lost Benedictine abbey of the still existing sanctuary-church Grotta di San Michele Arcangelo, where we have found traces of a supposed runic inscription of a Longobard or Saxon noble's tomb.
Dragon Skin
Research project _ Nonantola (Italy)
October 2025 - February 2026 The research investigated on the original structures of the Longobard wooden church of the Royal Abbey of Nonantola. The research was published in the United States of America, in March 2026, in Timber Framing, Journal of the Timber Framers Guild, issue 159.
article Thomas Allocca (March 2026), Dragon Skin and the Longobard Royal Abbey of San Silvestro in Nonantola, Italy, published in Timber Framing, Journal of the Timber Framers Guild, issue 159, March 2026, pages 32-37, published by Timber Framers Guild, Alstead, New Hampshire, United States of America
Norrengarð | Norse Wooden Architecture
Research project _ Europe and North America
January 2026 - open The research aims to identify the functional, architectural, structural, and symbolic archetypes of Norse wooden architecture, between Europe and North America.
Ahto-Thurni | Octo-Turris
Research project _ Ottati (Italy)
March 2026 - open The research aims to write the Longobard history of the town of Ottati (Salerno, Italy), and to establish a museum with full-scale reconstructions. The town name was probably born around year 850, with the Longobard name Ahto-Thurni, meaning eight towers, with the evolution of the settlement from a simple military station in service to the Krunatun County (see Krunatun project), to a fortified settlement with its own castle. The town walls were characterized by eight towers, meaning fidelity to the County, and the Duchy of Benevento, after the fighting years between Benevento and Salerno (839-850). The military role of the future Ottati was highly strategic for the protection of the county seat, and its fidelity was prized and rewarded.
MWA-TFG Compact
International Partnership _ Italy-USA
1 March 2026 The MWA project and the Timber Framers Guild based in Alstead, New Hampshire, USA, became partners, signing the MWA-TFG Compact. The international cooperation is aimed at developing research and museum projects on medieval wooden architecture in the United States of America, with the Timber Framers Guild as the projects representative and executive director.
photo credits: Royal Mounds at Gamla Uppsala, Sweden, by Wiglaf; wooden roof by Felix Gherardini