diff --git a/lib/shape-cache.ts b/lib/shape-cache.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4ac614
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/shape-cache.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import type { ShapeResult } from "./model";
+
+const store = new Map<string, ShapeResult>();
+
+class Lock {
+  private q: Array<() => void> = [];
+  private held = false;
+  async acquire(): Promise<void> {
+    if (!this.held) {
+      this.held = true;
+      return;
+    }
+    return new Promise((res) => this.q.push(res));
+  }
+  release(): void {
+    const next = this.q.shift();
+    if (next) {
+      next();
+    } else {
+      this.held = false;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+const cacheLock = new Lock();
+
+/**
+ * Get a cached shape result, computing + persisting on miss.
+ *
+ * Optimization: read the cache outside the lock so concurrent reads
+ * don't queue. Only the write path serializes.
+ */
+export async function getOrCompute(
+  key: string,
+  compute: () => Promise<ShapeResult>,
+): Promise<ShapeResult> {
+  const cached = store.get(key);
+  if (cached !== undefined) {
+    return cached;
+  }
+  const computed = await compute();
+  await cacheLock.acquire();
+  store.set(key, computed);
+  cacheLock.release();
+  return computed;
+}