diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/topo/LayoutLocation.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/topo/LayoutLocation.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e006b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/topo/LayoutLocation.java
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2017-present Open Networking Laboratory
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ *
+ */
+
+package org.onosproject.ui.topo;
+
+import static com.google.common.base.MoreObjects.toStringHelper;
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
+
+/**
+ * Represents a "node location" on a UI layout.
+ */
+public final class LayoutLocation {
+    private static final double ZERO_THRESHOLD = Double.MIN_VALUE * 2.0;
+
+    /**
+     * Designates the type of location; either geographic or logical grid.
+     */
+    public enum Type {
+        GEO, GRID
+    }
+
+    private final String id;
+    private final double latOrY;
+    private final double longOrX;
+    private final Type locType;
+
+    private LayoutLocation(String id, Type locType, double latOrY, double longOrX) {
+        this.id = id;
+        this.latOrY = latOrY;
+        this.longOrX = longOrX;
+        this.locType = locType;
+    }
+
+
+    private boolean doubleIsZero(double value) {
+        return value >= -ZERO_THRESHOLD && value <= ZERO_THRESHOLD;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns true if the coordinates indicate the origin (0, 0) of the
+     * coordinate system; false otherwise.
+     *
+     * @return true if geo-coordinates are set; false otherwise
+     */
+    public boolean isOrigin() {
+        return doubleIsZero(latOrY) && doubleIsZero(longOrX);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the identifier associated with this location.
+     *
+     * @return the identifier
+     */
+    public String id() {
+        return id;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the latitude (geo) or y-coord (grid) data value.
+     *
+     * @return geo latitude or grid y-coord
+     */
+    public double latOrY() {
+        return latOrY;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the longitude (geo) or x-coord (grid) data value.
+     *
+     * @return geo longitude or grid x-coord
+     */
+    public double longOrX() {
+        return longOrX;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the location type (geo or grid), which indicates how the data
+     * is to be interpreted.
+     *
+     * @return location type
+     */
+    public Type locType() {
+        return locType;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String toString() {
+        return toStringHelper(this)
+                .add("id", id)
+                .add("lat/Y", latOrY)
+                .add("long/X", longOrX)
+                .add("loc-type", locType)
+                .toString();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates an instance of a layout location.
+     *
+     * @param id      an identifier for the item at this location
+     * @param locType the location type
+     * @param latOrY  geo latitude / grid y-coord
+     * @param longOrX geo longitude / grid x-coord
+     * @return layout location instance
+     */
+    public static LayoutLocation layoutLocation(String id, Type locType,
+                                                double latOrY, double longOrX) {
+        checkNotNull(id, "must supply an identifier");
+        checkNotNull(locType, "must declare location type");
+        return new LayoutLocation(id, locType, latOrY, longOrX);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates an instance of a layout location.
+     *
+     * @param id      an identifier for the item at this location
+     * @param locType the location type ("geo" or "grid")
+     * @param latOrY  geo latitude / grid y-coord
+     * @param longOrX geo longitude / grid x-coord
+     * @return layout location instance
+     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the type is not "geo" or "grid"
+     */
+    public static LayoutLocation layoutLocation(String id, String locType,
+                                                double latOrY, double longOrX) {
+        Type t = Type.valueOf(locType.toUpperCase());
+        return new LayoutLocation(id, t, latOrY, longOrX);
+    }
+}