diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 6e73d491..182bda55 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ set(DOCKSLIBS_SRCS
     LayoutSaver_p.h
     private/LayoutWidget.cpp
     private/LayoutWidget_p.h
+    private/MDILayoutWidget.cpp
+    private/MDILayoutWidget_p.h
     private/MultiSplitter.cpp
     private/MultiSplitter_p.h
     private/Position.cpp
@@ -79,6 +81,8 @@ set(DOCKSLIBS_SRCS
 
     private/multisplitter/Item.cpp
     private/multisplitter/Item_p.h
+    private/multisplitter/ItemFreeContainer.cpp
+    private/multisplitter/ItemFreeContainer_p.h
     private/multisplitter/Logging.cpp
     private/multisplitter/Logging_p.h
     private/multisplitter/MultiSplitterConfig.cpp
diff --git a/src/private/MDILayoutWidget.cpp b/src/private/MDILayoutWidget.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bfe3128d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/private/MDILayoutWidget.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of KDDockWidgets.
+
+  SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2020-2021 Klarälvdalens Datakonsult AB, a KDAB Group company <info@kdab.com>
+  Author: Sérgio Martins <sergio.martins@kdab.com>
+
+  SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only OR GPL-3.0-only
+
+  Contact KDAB at <info@kdab.com> for commercial licensing options.
+*/
+
+#include "ItemFreeContainer_p.h"
+#include "MDILayoutWidget_p.h"
+
+using namespace KDDockWidgets;
+
+MDILayoutWidget::MDILayoutWidget(QWidgetOrQuick *parent)
+    : LayoutWidget(parent)
+    , m_rootItem(new Layouting::ItemFreeContainer(this))
+{
+    setRootItem(m_rootItem);
+}
+
+MDILayoutWidget::~MDILayoutWidget()
+{
+}
diff --git a/src/private/MDILayoutWidget_p.h b/src/private/MDILayoutWidget_p.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..09c39e21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/private/MDILayoutWidget_p.h
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of KDDockWidgets.
+
+  SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2020-2021 Klarälvdalens Datakonsult AB, a KDAB Group company <info@kdab.com>
+  Author: Sérgio Martins <sergio.martins@kdab.com>
+
+  SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only OR GPL-3.0-only
+
+  Contact KDAB at <info@kdab.com> for commercial licensing options.
+*/
+
+
+
+#ifndef KDDOCKWIDGETS_MDI_LAYOUT_WIDGET_P_H
+#define KDDOCKWIDGETS_MDI_LAYOUT_WIDGET_P_H
+
+#include "LayoutWidget_p.h"
+#include "kddockwidgets/KDDockWidgets.h"
+#include "kddockwidgets/docks_export.h"
+
+namespace Layouting {
+class ItemFreeContainer;
+}
+
+namespace KDDockWidgets {
+
+/**
+ * @brief The MDILayoutWidget class implements a layout suitable for MDI style docking.
+ * Where dock widgets are free to be positioned in arbitrary positions, not restricted by layouting.
+ */
+class DOCKS_EXPORT MDILayoutWidget : public LayoutWidget
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    explicit MDILayoutWidget(QWidgetOrQuick *parent = nullptr);
+    ~MDILayoutWidget() override;
+
+private:
+    Layouting::ItemFreeContainer *const m_rootItem;
+};
+
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/private/multisplitter/ItemFreeContainer.cpp b/src/private/multisplitter/ItemFreeContainer.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4a4a1bd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/private/multisplitter/ItemFreeContainer.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of KDDockWidgets.
+
+  SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2019-2021 Klarälvdalens Datakonsult AB, a KDAB Group company
+  <info@kdab.com> Author: Sérgio Martins <sergio.martins@kdab.com>
+
+  SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only OR GPL-3.0-only
+
+  Contact KDAB at <info@kdab.com> for commercial licensing options.
+*/
+
+#include "ItemFreeContainer_p.h"
+
+using namespace Layouting;
+
+ItemFreeContainer::ItemFreeContainer(Widget *hostWidget, ItemContainer *parent)
+    : ItemContainer(hostWidget, parent)
+{
+}
+
+ItemFreeContainer::ItemFreeContainer(Widget *hostWidget)
+    : ItemContainer(hostWidget)
+{
+}
+
+ItemFreeContainer::~ItemFreeContainer()
+{
+}
+
+void ItemFreeContainer::clear()
+{
+    qWarning() << Q_FUNC_INFO << "Implement me";
+}
+
+void ItemFreeContainer::removeItem(Item *, bool hardRemove)
+{
+    Q_UNUSED(hardRemove);
+    qWarning() << Q_FUNC_INFO << "Implement me";
+}
+
+void ItemFreeContainer::restore(Item *child)
+{
+    Q_UNUSED(child);
+    qWarning() << Q_FUNC_INFO << "Implement me";
+}
+
+void ItemFreeContainer::onChildMinSizeChanged(Item *child)
+{
+    Q_UNUSED(child);
+    qWarning() << Q_FUNC_INFO << "Implement me";
+}
+
+void ItemFreeContainer::onChildVisibleChanged(Item *child, bool visible)
+{
+    Q_UNUSED(child);
+    Q_UNUSED(visible);
+    qWarning() << Q_FUNC_INFO << "Implement me";
+}
diff --git a/src/private/multisplitter/ItemFreeContainer_p.h b/src/private/multisplitter/ItemFreeContainer_p.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..01457fd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/private/multisplitter/ItemFreeContainer_p.h
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of KDDockWidgets.
+
+  SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2019-2021 Klarälvdalens Datakonsult AB, a KDAB Group company <info@kdab.com>
+  Author: Sérgio Martins <sergio.martins@kdab.com>
+
+  SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only OR GPL-3.0-only
+
+  Contact KDAB at <info@kdab.com> for commercial licensing options.
+*/
+
+#pragma once
+
+
+#include "kddockwidgets/docks_export.h"
+#include "kddockwidgets/KDDockWidgets.h"
+#include "Item_p.h"
+
+namespace Layouting {
+
+
+///@brief An Item container that supports its child widgets to occupy arbitrary positions
+///
+/// This is unlike ItemBoxContainer, which is used for the default/traditional vertical/horizontal
+/// layouting with nesting.
+///
+/// This free layout can be used to implement MDI style windows
+class DOCKS_EXPORT_FOR_UNIT_TESTS ItemFreeContainer : public ItemContainer
+{
+public:
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    explicit ItemFreeContainer(Widget *hostWidget, ItemContainer *parent);
+    explicit ItemFreeContainer(Widget *hostWidget);
+    ~ItemFreeContainer();
+
+    void clear() override;
+    void removeItem(Item *, bool hardRemove = true) override;
+    void restore(Item *child) override;
+    void onChildMinSizeChanged(Item *child) override;
+    void onChildVisibleChanged(Item *child, bool visible) override;
+};
+
+}