diff --git a/elements/core/container.go b/elements/core/container.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7bdc08f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/core/container.go
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+package core
+
+import "image"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/layouts"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/elements"
+
+// ContainerCore is a struct that can be embedded into an object to allow it to
+// have one or more children. It also implements Flexible and Focusable and
+// provides the standard behavior for selecting multiple children, and
+// propagating user input events to them.
+type ContainerCore struct {
+	bounds    image.Rectangle
+	layout    layouts.Layout
+	children  []layouts.LayoutEntry
+	drags     [10]elements.MouseTarget
+	warping   bool
+	focused   bool
+	focusable bool
+	flexible  bool
+}
+
+func NewContainerCore (
+	layout         layouts.Layout,
+	onFocusChange  func (),
+	onLayoutChange func (),
+) (
+	core    *ContainerCore,
+	control ContainerCoreControl,
+) {
+	core = &ContainerCore {
+		layout: layout,
+	}
+	control = ContainerCoreControl {
+		core: core,
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+// TODO fulfill interfaces here. accessors and mutators need to be in the
+// container core control, because elements will have different ways of adopting
+// and disowning child elements.
+
+type ContainerCoreControl struct {
+	core *ContainerCore
+}
+
+// Resize sets the size of the control, and
+func (control ContainerCoreControl) Resize (bounds image.Rectangle) {
+	// TODO do a layout
+	// TODO call onLayoutChange
+}
+
+func (control ContainerCoreControl) Adopt (element elements.Element, expand bool) {
+	
+}
diff --git a/layouts/layout.go b/layouts/layout.go
index e847e27..5a5d511 100644
--- a/layouts/layout.go
+++ b/layouts/layout.go
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ type LayoutEntry struct {
 }
 
 // TODO: have layouts take in artist.Inset for margin and padding
+// TODO: create a layout that only displays the first element and full screen.
+// basically a blank layout for containers that only ever have one element.
 
 // Layout is capable of arranging elements within a container. It is also able
 // to determine the minimum amount of room it needs to do so.