diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/impl/topo/TopoJson.java b/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/impl/topo/TopoJson.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f382e22
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+++ b/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onosproject/ui/impl/topo/TopoJson.java
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2015 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.impl.topo;
+
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.node.ArrayNode;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.node.ObjectNode;
+import org.onosproject.ui.topo.ButtonId;
+import org.onosproject.ui.topo.DeviceHighlight;
+import org.onosproject.ui.topo.Highlights;
+import org.onosproject.ui.topo.HostHighlight;
+import org.onosproject.ui.topo.LinkHighlight;
+import org.onosproject.ui.topo.PropertyPanel;
+
+/**
+ * JSON utilities for the Topology View.
+ */
+public final class TopoJson {
+    private static final String DEVICES = "devices";
+    private static final String HOSTS = "hosts";
+    private static final String LINKS = "links";
+
+    private static final String ID = "id";
+    private static final String LABEL = "label";
+    private static final String CSS = "css";
+
+    private static final String TITLE = "title";
+    private static final String TYPE = "type";
+    private static final String PROP_ORDER = "propOrder";
+    private static final String PROPS = "props";
+    private static final String BUTTONS = "buttons";
+
+
+    private static final ObjectMapper MAPPER = new ObjectMapper();
+
+    private static ObjectNode objectNode() {
+        return MAPPER.createObjectNode();
+    }
+
+    private static ArrayNode arrayNode() {
+        return MAPPER.createArrayNode();
+    }
+
+    // non-instantiable
+    private TopoJson() { }
+
+    /**
+     * Transforms the given highlights model into a JSON message payload.
+     *
+     * @param highlights the model to transform
+     * @return JSON payload
+     */
+    public static ObjectNode json(Highlights highlights) {
+        ObjectNode payload = objectNode();
+
+        ArrayNode devices = arrayNode();
+        ArrayNode hosts = arrayNode();
+        ArrayNode links = arrayNode();
+
+        payload.set(DEVICES, devices);
+        payload.set(HOSTS, hosts);
+        payload.set(LINKS, links);
+
+        highlights.devices().forEach(dh -> devices.add(json(dh)));
+        highlights.hosts().forEach(hh -> hosts.add(json(hh)));
+        highlights.links().forEach(lh -> links.add(json(lh)));
+
+        return payload;
+    }
+
+    private static ObjectNode json(DeviceHighlight dh) {
+        // TODO: implement this once we know what a device highlight looks like
+        return objectNode();
+    }
+
+    private static ObjectNode json(HostHighlight hh) {
+        // TODO: implement this once we know what a host highlight looks like
+        return objectNode();
+    }
+
+    private static ObjectNode json(LinkHighlight lh) {
+        return objectNode()
+                .put(ID, lh.elementId())
+                .put(LABEL, lh.label())
+                .put(CSS, lh.cssClasses());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Translates the given property panel into JSON, for returning
+     * to the client.
+     *
+     * @param pp the property panel model
+     * @return JSON payload
+     */
+    public static ObjectNode json(PropertyPanel pp) {
+        ObjectNode result = objectNode()
+                .put(TITLE, pp.title())
+                .put(TYPE, pp.typeId())
+                .put(ID, pp.id());
+
+        ObjectNode pnode = objectNode();
+        ArrayNode porder = arrayNode();
+        for (PropertyPanel.Prop p : pp.properties()) {
+            porder.add(p.key());
+            pnode.put(p.key(), p.value());
+        }
+        result.set(PROP_ORDER, porder);
+        result.set(PROPS, pnode);
+
+        ArrayNode buttons = arrayNode();
+        for (ButtonId b : pp.buttons()) {
+            buttons.add(b.id());
+        }
+        result.set(BUTTONS, buttons);
+        return result;
+    }
+
+}