diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index af57342..690b804 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
+#![allow(dead_code)]
+#![feature(new_uninit)]
+
 mod syn;
+mod obj;
+mod mem;
 
 use std::{
     convert::TryFrom,
diff --git a/src/mem/basic.rs b/src/mem/basic.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d8d495
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mem/basic.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+use crate::{
+    mem::{
+        gc::Gc,
+        intern::Intern,
+        ptr::{DynRef, ObjCell, ObjRef},
+    },
+    obj::{ctx::ObjCtx, Obj, Str, Sym},
+};
+use std::{collections::HashMap, ptr::NonNull};
+
+pub struct BasicGc {
+    objects: Vec<Box<ObjCell<dyn Obj>>>,
+    strs: HashMap<String, ObjRef<Str>>,
+    syms: HashMap<String, Sym>,
+}
+
+impl Gc for BasicGc {
+    fn alloc<O: Obj + 'static>(&mut self, obj: O) -> ObjRef<O> {
+        let obj_cell = Box::new(ObjCell::new(obj));
+        let obj_ptr = &*obj_cell as *const _ as *mut _;
+        self.objects.push(obj_cell);
+        ObjRef::new(NonNull::new(obj_ptr).unwrap())
+    }
+
+    fn add_obj<O: Obj + 'static>(&mut self, owned: Box<ObjCell<O>>) {
+        self.objects.push(owned);
+    }
+
+    fn mark(&mut self, alive: &[DynRef]) {
+        for obj in alive.iter() {
+            obj.borrow().mark();
+        }
+        // TODO : where should interned strings be marked?
+    }
+
+    fn sweep(&mut self) {
+        // sweep
+        self.objects.retain(|cell| {
+            let obj = cell.borrow();
+            !obj.is_marked()
+        });
+        // unmark all objects
+        self.objects
+            .iter_mut()
+            .for_each(|cell| cell.borrow().unmark());
+    }
+}
+
+impl Intern for BasicGc {
+    fn get_str(&self, s: &str) -> Option<ObjRef<Str>> {
+        self.strs.get(s).copied()
+    }
+
+    fn add_str(&mut self, ctx: &mut ObjCtx, s: &str) -> ObjRef<Str> {
+        *self.strs.entry(s.to_string())
+            .or_insert_with(|| {
+                let s = Str::new(ctx, s.to_string());
+                ctx.gc_mut().alloc(s)
+            })
+    }
+
+    fn get_sym(&self, s: &str) -> Option<Sym> {
+        self.syms.get(s).copied()
+    }
+
+    fn add_sym(&mut self, s: &str) -> Sym {
+        let len = self.syms.len();
+        *self.syms.entry(s.to_string())
+            .or_insert_with(|| len)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/mem/gc.rs b/src/mem/gc.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..06df5c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mem/gc.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+use crate::{
+    obj::prelude::*,
+    mem::{
+        ptr::ObjCell,
+        intern::Intern,
+    }
+};
+
+pub trait Gc: Intern {
+    fn alloc<O: Obj + 'static>(&mut self, obj: O) -> ObjRef<O>;
+
+    fn add_obj<O: Obj + 'static>(&mut self, owned: Box<ObjCell<O>>);
+
+    fn mark(&mut self, alive: &[DynRef]) {
+        for obj in alive.iter() {
+            obj.borrow_mut().mark();
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn sweep(&mut self);
+}
+
diff --git a/src/mem/intern.rs b/src/mem/intern.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c36f44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mem/intern.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+use crate::{
+    mem::ptr::ObjRef,
+    obj::{
+        ctx::ObjCtx,
+        Str, Sym,
+    },
+};
+
+pub trait Intern {
+    fn get_str(&self, s: &str) -> Option<ObjRef<Str>>;
+    fn add_str(&mut self, ctx: &mut ObjCtx, s: &str) -> ObjRef<Str>;
+
+    fn get_sym(&self, s: &str) -> Option<Sym>;
+    fn add_sym(&mut self, s: &str) -> Sym;
+}
diff --git a/src/mem/mod.rs b/src/mem/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c13c41a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mem/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+mod basic;
+pub mod intern;
+pub mod gc;
+pub mod ptr;
+
+pub use self::basic::BasicGc;
+
+/*
+pub mod prelude {
+    pub use crate::mem::{
+        alloc::Alloc,
+        gc::Gc,
+        ptr::*
+    }
+}
+*/
diff --git a/src/mem/ptr.rs b/src/mem/ptr.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c38784b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mem/ptr.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+use crate::obj::Obj;
+use std::{
+    any,
+    cell::RefCell,
+    fmt::{self, Debug, Formatter},
+    ops::Deref,
+    ptr::NonNull,
+};
+
+pub type DynRef = ObjRef<dyn Obj>;
+
+pub struct ObjRef<O>
+    where O: Obj + ?Sized
+{
+    ptr: NonNull<ObjCell<O>>,
+}
+
+impl<O> ObjRef<O>
+    where O: Obj + ?Sized
+{
+    pub fn new(ptr: NonNull<ObjCell<O>>) -> Self {
+        ObjRef { ptr }
+    }
+
+    pub fn as_ptr(&self) -> *const ObjCell<O> {
+        self.ptr.as_ptr()
+    }
+}
+
+impl<O> ObjRef<O>
+    where O: Obj
+{
+    pub fn as_dyn(&self) -> ObjRef<dyn Obj> {
+        let ptr = self.as_ptr() as *const ObjCell<dyn Obj>;
+        ObjRef::new(NonNull::new(ptr as *mut _).unwrap())
+    }
+}
+
+impl<O> Deref for ObjRef<O>
+    where O: Obj + ?Sized
+{
+    type Target = RefCell<O>;
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+        // Safe, so long as there are no dangling pointers from the GC
+        unsafe { &*self.as_ptr() }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<O> Clone for ObjRef<O>
+    where O: Obj + ?Sized
+{
+    fn clone(&self) -> Self {
+        ObjRef { ptr: self.ptr }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<O> Copy for ObjRef<O>
+    where O: Obj + ?Sized
+{}
+
+impl<O> Debug for ObjRef<O>
+    where O: Obj + Debug + ?Sized
+{
+    fn fmt(&self, fmt: &mut Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
+        write!(fmt, "<{} object at {:#x}>", any::type_name::<O>(), self.as_ptr() as *const () as usize)
+    }
+}
+
+impl Debug for ObjRef<dyn Obj> {
+    fn fmt(&self, fmt: &mut Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
+        write!(fmt, "<? object at {:#x}>", self.as_ptr() as *const () as usize)
+    }
+}
+
+//
+// Comparison impls
+//
+impl<O> PartialEq for ObjRef<O>
+where
+    O: Obj + ?Sized + PartialEq,
+{
+    fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
+        self.borrow().eq(&other.borrow())
+    }
+}
+
+impl<O> Eq for ObjRef<O> where O: Obj + ?Sized + Eq {}
+
+impl<O> PartialOrd for ObjRef<O>
+where
+    O: Obj + ?Sized + PartialOrd,
+{
+    fn partial_cmp(&self, other: &Self) -> Option<std::cmp::Ordering> {
+        self.borrow().partial_cmp(&other.borrow())
+    }
+}
+
+impl<O> Ord for ObjRef<O>
+where
+    O: Obj + ?Sized + Ord,
+{
+    fn cmp(&self, other: &Self) -> std::cmp::Ordering {
+        self.borrow().cmp(&other.borrow())
+    }
+}
+
+//
+// ObjCell
+//
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct ObjCell<O: Obj + ?Sized> {
+    cell: RefCell<O>,
+}
+
+impl<O: Obj> ObjCell<O> {
+    pub fn new(obj: O) -> Self {
+        ObjCell {
+            cell: RefCell::new(obj),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<O: Obj + ?Sized> Deref for ObjCell<O> {
+    type Target = RefCell<O>;
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+        &self.cell
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/obj/attrs.rs b/src/obj/attrs.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b132e53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/obj/attrs.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+use crate::{
+    mem::ptr::{DynRef, ObjCell},
+    obj::prelude::*,
+};
+use std::{
+    cell::Cell,
+    mem::MaybeUninit,
+    ptr::{self, NonNull},
+};
+
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct Attrs {
+    attrs: Vec<(Sym, DynRef)>,
+    marked: Cell<bool>,
+    this: ObjRef<Attrs>,
+}
+
+impl Attrs {
+    pub fn new(ctx: &mut ObjCtx) -> Self {
+        let obj: Box<ObjCell<Attrs>> = unsafe {
+            let mut obj: Box<MaybeUninit<ObjCell<Attrs>>> = Box::new_uninit();
+            // maybe UB? taking away the uninit right before it's initialized may be bad
+            let this = &*obj as *const _ as *const ObjCell<Attrs>;
+
+            obj.as_mut_ptr().write(ObjCell::new(Attrs {
+                attrs: Default::default(),
+                marked: Cell::new(false),
+                this: ObjRef::new(NonNull::new(this as *mut _).unwrap()),
+            }));
+
+            obj.assume_init()
+        };
+
+        let attrs = {
+            let obj_ref: &Attrs = &obj.borrow();
+            assert!(
+                ptr::eq(&*obj as *const _, obj_ref.this.as_ptr()),
+                "Attr 'this' member does not point to itself"
+            );
+            obj_ref.clone()
+        };
+
+        // Add the object to the allocator pool
+        ctx.gc_mut().add_obj(obj);
+
+        attrs
+    }
+}
+
+impl Obj for Attrs {
+    fn attrs(&self) -> ObjRef<Attrs> {
+        self.this
+    }
+
+    fn is_marked(&self) -> bool {
+        self.marked.get()
+    }
+
+    fn mark(&self) {
+        if self.is_marked() {
+            return;
+        }
+        self.marked.set(true);
+        self.attrs.iter().for_each(|(_, v)| v.borrow().mark());
+    }
+
+    fn unmark(&self) {
+        if !self.is_marked() {
+            return;
+        }
+        self.marked.set(false);
+        self.attrs.iter().for_each(|(_, v)| v.borrow().unmark());
+    }
+
+    fn as_any(&self) -> &dyn std::any::Any {
+        self
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_attrs_new() {
+    /*
+    use crate::mem::*;
+    let mut ctx = ObjCtx::new(
+    */
+}
diff --git a/src/obj/ctx.rs b/src/obj/ctx.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2ab87c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/obj/ctx.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+use crate::mem::{gc::Gc, BasicGc};
+
+pub type DefaultGc = BasicGc;
+
+pub struct ObjCtx<G=DefaultGc>
+where
+    G: Gc,
+{
+    gc: G,
+}
+
+impl<G> ObjCtx<G>
+where
+    G: Gc,
+{
+    pub fn new(gc: G) -> Self {
+        ObjCtx { gc }
+    }
+    
+    pub fn gc(&self) -> &G {
+        &self.gc
+    }
+    pub fn gc_mut(&mut self) -> &mut G {
+        &mut self.gc
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/obj/dict.rs b/src/obj/dict.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..30806d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/obj/dict.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+use crate::obj::prelude::*;
+use std::{any::Any, cell::Cell};
+
+pub type DictRef = ObjRef<Dict>;
+
+pub struct Dict {
+    dict: Vec<(DynRef, DynRef)>,
+    attrs: ObjRef<Attrs>,
+    marked: Cell<bool>,
+}
+
+impl Dict {
+    // TODO : base types need to be interned. This should probably be stored in a root namespace.
+    // * How to get the root namespace?
+    //    * ObjCtx object that holds allocator, gc, root namespace, etc..? 
+    // * How to create initial types?
+    pub fn new(ctx: &mut ObjCtx) -> Self {
+        todo!()
+        /*
+        Dict {
+            dict: Default::default(),
+            attrs: Attrs::new(ctx),
+            marked: Cell::new(false),
+        }
+        */
+    }
+}
+
+impl Obj for Dict {
+    fn attrs(&self) -> ObjRef<Attrs> {
+        self.attrs
+    }
+
+    fn is_marked(&self) -> bool {
+        self.marked.get()
+    }
+
+    fn mark(&self) {
+        if self.is_marked() {
+            return;
+        }
+        self.marked.set(true);
+        // TODO: dict
+        self.attrs.borrow().mark();
+        todo!()
+    }
+
+    fn unmark(&self) {
+        if !self.is_marked() {
+            return;
+        }
+        self.marked.set(false);
+        // TODO: dict
+        self.attrs.borrow().unmark();
+        todo!()
+    }
+
+    fn as_any(&self) -> &dyn Any {
+        self
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/obj/error.rs b/src/obj/error.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f243112
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/obj/error.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+use crate::mem::ptr::DynRef;
+use snafu::Snafu;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Snafu)]
+pub enum Error {
+    #[snafu(display("illegal attr key"))]
+    AttrKey {
+        key: DynRef
+    }
+}
+
+pub type Result<T, E = Error> = std::result::Result<T, E>;
+
diff --git a/src/obj/mod.rs b/src/obj/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98b6c81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/obj/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+pub mod attrs;
+pub mod ctx;
+pub mod dict;
+pub mod error;
+//pub mod native_fun;
+//pub mod num;
+pub mod str;
+pub mod sym {
+    pub type Sym = usize;
+}
+//pub mod ty;
+
+pub mod prelude {
+    pub use crate::{
+        obj::{
+            Attrs, Dict, DictRef, Str, StrRef, Sym, ObjCtx, Obj,
+        },
+        mem::{
+            ptr::{ObjRef, DynRef},
+            intern::Intern,
+            gc::Gc,
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+pub use self::{
+    attrs::Attrs,
+    dict::{Dict, DictRef},
+    ctx::ObjCtx,
+    str::{Str, StrRef},
+    sym::Sym,
+};
+use crate::mem::ptr::ObjRef;
+use std::any::Any;
+
+pub trait Obj {
+    fn attrs(&self) -> ObjRef<Attrs>;
+
+    fn is_marked(&self) -> bool;
+    fn mark(&self);
+    fn unmark(&self);
+
+    fn as_any(&self) -> &dyn Any;
+}
diff --git a/src/obj/native_fun.rs b/src/obj/native_fun.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..413bdab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/obj/native_fun.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+use crate::obj::prelude::*;
+
+pub type NativeFunPtr = *const fn();
+
+pub struct NativeFun {
+    attrs: Attrs,
+    fn_ptr: NativeFunPtr,
+}
+
+impl NativeFun {
+    pub fn new(ctx: &mut ObjCtx, name: StrRef, fn_ptr: NativeFunPtr) -> Self {
+        todo!()
+        /*
+        let attrs = Attrs::default();
+        NativeFun {
+            attrs,
+            fn_ptr,
+        }
+        */
+    }
+}
+/*
+
+impl Obj for NativeFun {
+    fn get_attr(&self, key: &DynRef) -> Option<DynRef>
+}
+*/
diff --git a/src/obj/num.rs b/src/obj/num.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/src/obj/str.rs b/src/obj/str.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf189c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/obj/str.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+use crate::obj::prelude::*;
+use derivative::Derivative;
+use std::{any::Any, cell::Cell};
+
+pub type StrRef = ObjRef<Str>;
+
+#[derive(Derivative)]
+#[derivative(PartialEq, PartialOrd, Ord, Eq)]
+pub struct Str {
+    #[derivative(PartialEq = "ignore", PartialOrd = "ignore", Ord = "ignore")]
+    attrs: ObjRef<Attrs>,
+
+    contents: String,
+
+    #[derivative(PartialEq = "ignore", PartialOrd = "ignore", Ord = "ignore")]
+    marked: Cell<bool>,
+}
+
+impl Str {
+    pub fn new(ctx: &mut ObjCtx, contents: String) -> Self {
+        todo!()
+        /*
+        Str {
+            attrs: Default::default(),
+            contents,
+            marked: Cell::new(false),
+        }
+        */
+    }
+
+    pub fn contents(&self) -> &String {
+        &self.contents
+    }
+}
+
+impl Obj for Str {
+    fn attrs(&self) -> ObjRef<Attrs> {
+        self.attrs
+    }
+
+    fn is_marked(&self) -> bool {
+        self.marked.get()
+    }
+
+    fn mark(&self) {
+        if self.is_marked() {
+            return;
+        }
+        self.marked.set(true);
+        todo!()
+    }
+
+    fn unmark(&self) {
+        if !self.is_marked() {
+            return;
+        }
+        self.marked.set(false);
+        todo!()
+    }
+
+    fn as_any(&self) -> &dyn Any {
+        self
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/obj/ty.rs b/src/obj/ty.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f969771
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/obj/ty.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+use crate::obj::prelude::*;
+use std::cell::Cell;
+
+pub struct Ty {
+    marked: Cell<bool>,
+    this: ObjRef<Ty>,
+}
+
+impl Ty {
+    pub fn new(ctx: &mut ObjCtx) -> Self {
+        todo!()
+    }
+}
+
+impl Obj for Ty {
+    fn attrs(&self) -> ObjRef<Attrs> {
+        todo!()
+    }
+
+    fn is_marked(&self) -> bool {
+        self.marked.get()
+    }
+
+    fn mark(&self) {
+        self.marked.set(true);
+    }
+
+    fn unmark(&self) {
+        self.marked.set(false);
+    }
+
+    fn as_any(&self) -> &dyn std::any::Any {
+        self
+    }
+}