diff --git a/ndn-cpp/encoding/wire-format.cpp b/ndn-cpp/encoding/wire-format.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..60e3f19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ndn-cpp/encoding/wire-format.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/**
+ * @author: Jeff Thompson
+ * See COPYING for copyright and distribution information.
+ */
+
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include "wire-format.hpp"
+
+using namespace std;
+
+namespace ndn {
+
+static bool gotInitialDefaultWireFormat = false;
+
+WireFormat *WireFormat::defaultWireFormat_ = 0;
+
+WireFormat *WireFormat::getDefaultWireFormat()
+{
+  if (!defaultWireFormat_ && !gotInitialDefaultWireFormat) {
+    // There is no defaultWireFormat_ and we have not yet initialized initialDefaultWireFormat_, so initialize and use it.
+    gotInitialDefaultWireFormat = true;
+    // NOTE: This allocates one object which we never free for the life of the application.
+    defaultWireFormat_ = newInitialDefaultWireFormat();
+  }
+  
+  return defaultWireFormat_;
+}
+
+ptr_lib::shared_ptr<vector<unsigned char> > WireFormat::encodeInterest(const Interest &interest) 
+{
+  throw logic_error("unimplemented");
+}
+void WireFormat::decodeInterest(Interest &interest, const unsigned char *input, unsigned int inputLength) 
+{
+  throw logic_error("unimplemented");
+}
+
+ptr_lib::shared_ptr<vector<unsigned char> > WireFormat::encodeData(const Data &data) 
+{
+  throw logic_error("unimplemented");
+}
+void WireFormat::decodeData(Data &data, const unsigned char *input, unsigned int inputLength) 
+{
+  throw logic_error("unimplemented");
+}
+
+}