diff --git a/.vscode/c_cpp_properties.json b/.vscode/c_cpp_properties.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7830fd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/c_cpp_properties.json
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+    "configurations": [
+        {
+            "name": "Linux",
+            "includePath": [
+                "${workspaceFolder}/**"
+            ],
+            "defines": [],
+            "compilerPath": "/usr/bin/gcc",
+            "cStandard": "c17",
+            "cppStandard": "gnu++17",
+            "intelliSenseMode": "linux-gcc-x64",
+            "compileCommands": [
+                "${workspaceFolder}/build/compile_commands.json"
+            ]
+        }
+    ],
+    "version": 4
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 70c467e..f71b976 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ project(
   version: '0.0.0',
   meson_version: '>=0.63',
   default_options: [
-    'c_std=c23',
+    'c_std=c2x',
     'warning_level=3',
     'buildtype=debug',
   ],
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ gtk = dependency('gtk4', required: true)
 
 src = files(
   'src/main.c',
-  'src/matrix.c'
+  'src/matrix.c',
+  'src/ui/uicontroller.c'
 )
 
 executable(
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index b12a6d2..52803dd 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -1,18 +1,25 @@
 #include "gtk/gtk.h"
 #include "stdio.h"
+#include "stdlib.h"
+
+#include "./ui/uicontroller.h"
+
+
+static void on_map(GtkWidget* window, gpointer user_data) {
+  vektor_uictrl_map((VektorWidgetState*)user_data);
+}
 
 static void activate(GtkApplication *app, gpointer user_data) {
-  GtkWidget *window;
 
-  window = gtk_application_window_new(app);
-  gtk_window_set_title(GTK_WINDOW(window), "Vektor");
-  gtk_window_set_default_size(GTK_WINDOW(window), 200, 200);
+  VektorWidgetState* widget_state = (VektorWidgetState*)malloc(sizeof(VektorWidgetState));
+  vektor_uictrl_init(app, widget_state);
 
-  gtk_window_present(GTK_WINDOW(window));
+  g_signal_connect(widget_state->window, "map", G_CALLBACK(on_map), widget_state);
+
+  gtk_window_present(widget_state->window);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {
-  printf("\x1b[1;46m IGNITION \x1b[0m\n");
 
   GtkApplication *app;
   int status;
diff --git a/src/ui/uicontroller.c b/src/ui/uicontroller.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..64847ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/uicontroller.c
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#include "uicontroller.h"
+#include "gtk/gtk.h"
+
+void vektor_uictrl_init(GtkApplication* app, VektorWidgetState* stateOut) {
+    GtkBuilder* builder = gtk_builder_new();
+    GError* error = NULL;
+
+    g_print("%s\n", g_get_current_dir());
+
+    // TODO: .ui files as resources instead of sketchy relative paths
+    if(!gtk_builder_add_from_file(builder, "./ui/main.ui", &error)) {
+        g_error("Fatal: %s", error->message);
+    }
+
+    stateOut->window = GTK_WINDOW(gtk_builder_get_object(builder, "main_window"));
+    stateOut->workspacePaned = GTK_PANED(gtk_builder_get_object(builder, "workspace_paned"));
+
+    gtk_window_set_application(stateOut->window, app);
+    gtk_window_set_title(stateOut->window, "Vektor");
+    gtk_window_set_default_size(stateOut->window, 800, 600);
+
+    g_object_unref(builder);
+}
+
+void vektor_uictrl_map(VektorWidgetState* state) {
+
+    // set the workspace divider to 7:3 ratio
+    int window_width = gtk_widget_get_width(GTK_WIDGET(state->window));
+    g_print("%i", window_width);
+    gtk_paned_set_position(state->workspacePaned, 800 * .7);
+}
diff --git a/src/ui/uicontroller.h b/src/ui/uicontroller.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..72a2de8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/uicontroller.h
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#ifndef VKTR_UICTRL_H
+#define VKTR_UICTRL_H
+
+#include "gtk/gtk.h"
+
+/*
+Global application widget state, holding references to
+all the widgets used in internal logic of the program
+*/
+typedef struct VektorWidgetState {
+    GtkWindow* window;
+
+    GtkPaned* workspacePaned;
+    //GtkWidget* Workspace
+} VektorWidgetState;
+
+void vektor_uictrl_init(GtkApplication* app, VektorWidgetState* stateOut);
+void vektor_uictrl_map(VektorWidgetState* state);
+
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ui/main.ui b/ui/main.ui
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2a47398
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/main.ui
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+<interface>
+    <requires lib="gtk" version="4.0"/>
+
+    <!--Topbar-->
+    <menu id="topbar">
+        <submenu>
+            <attribute name="label">File</attribute>
+            <item><attribute name="label">New</attribute><attribute name="action">app.new</attribute></item>
+            <item><attribute name="label">Open</attribute><attribute name="action">app.open</attribute></item>
+            <item><attribute name="label">Save</attribute><attribute name="action">app.save</attribute></item>
+
+            <section>
+                <item><attribute name="label">Quit</attribute><attribute name="action">app.quit</attribute></item>
+            </section>
+        </submenu>
+    </menu>
+
+    <!--Main window-->
+    <object class="GtkApplicationWindow" id="main_window">
+        <property name="default-width">600</property>
+        <property name="default-height">400</property>
+
+        <child>
+            <object class="GtkBox">
+                <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
+
+                <!--Topbar-->
+                <child>
+                    <object class="GtkPopoverMenuBar">
+                        <property name="menu-model">topbar</property>
+                    </object>
+                </child>
+
+                <!--Main area below-->
+                <child>
+                    <object class="GtkPaned" id="workspace_paned">
+                        <property name="orientation">horizontal</property>
+                        <property name="vexpand">true</property>
+                        <property name="wide-handle">true</property>
+
+                        <!--Main viewport area-->
+                        <child>
+                            <object class="GtkFrame" id="workspace">
+                                <property name="label">Workspace</property>
+                            </object>
+                        </child>
+
+                        <!--Sidepanel (layers & modifiers)-->
+                        <child>
+                            <object class="GtkFrame" id="sidepanel">
+                                <property name="label">Sidepanel</property>
+                            </object>
+                        </child>
+
+                    </object>
+                </child>
+
+            </object>
+        </child>
+
+    </object>
+</interface>
\ No newline at end of file