diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 0d2f56911442f989c0abfa8fdea924af1be48f9e..dc443887323b4cd1419272405b15f3ddb19f88d1 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
     curl sed grep graphviz libjpeg-dev zlib1g-dev  \
     python-numpy python-matplotlib gcc g++ \
     automake locales clang-format-3.8 swig doxygen cmake  \
-    liblapack-dev liblapacke-dev \
+    liblapack-dev liblapacke-dev libboost-dev \
     clang-3.8 llvm-3.8 libclang-3.8-dev && \
     apt-get clean -y
 
@@ -61,6 +61,15 @@ RUN git clone https://github.com/woboq/woboq_codebrowser /woboq && \
            -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release . \
      make)
 
+# Install gtest.
+#
+# NOTE: This is added for quick hack of the development work of
+# majel-in-paddle.
+RUN git clone https://github.com/google/googletest /gtest && \
+    cd /gtest && \
+    git checkout -b release-1.8.0 && \
+    cmake . && make install
+
 # Configure OpenSSH server. c.f. https://docs.docker.com/engine/examples/running_ssh_service
 RUN mkdir /var/run/sshd
 RUN echo 'root:root' | chpasswd
diff --git a/majel/Makefile b/majel/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..403c1d3a6ae81fddd6f89977fe930211334156b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/majel/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+CCFLAGS = -std=c++11 -I/work/paddle
+CC = nvcc
+
+all : place_test
+
+place.o : place.h place.cu
+	$(CC) $(CCFLAGS) -c place.cu -o $@
+
+place_test : place.o place_test.cu
+	$(CC) $(CCFLAGS) -lgtest -lgtest_main $^ -o $@
diff --git a/majel/place.cu b/majel/place.cu
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..ee84e96048d549a3e87bca6712702105a904de71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/majel/place.cu
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+#include <majel/place.h>
+
+namespace majel {
+
+namespace detail {
+
+class PlacePrinter
+    : public boost::static_visitor<> {
+private:
+    std::ostream& os_;
+public:
+    PlacePrinter(std::ostream& os) : os_(os) {}
+
+    void operator()(const CpuPlace&) {
+        os_ << "CpuPlace";
+    }
+
+    void operator()(const GpuPlace& p) {
+        os_ << "GpuPlace(" << p.device << ")";
+    }
+};
+
+}  // namespace majel
+
+static Place the_default_place;
+
+void set_place(const Place& place) {
+    the_default_place = place;
+}
+
+const Place& get_place() {
+    return the_default_place;
+}
+
+const GpuPlace default_gpu() {
+    return GpuPlace(0);
+}
+
+const CpuPlace default_cpu() {
+    return CpuPlace();
+}
+
+bool is_gpu_place(const Place& p) {
+    return boost::apply_visitor(IsGpuPlace(), p);
+}
+
+bool is_cpu_place(const Place& p) {
+    return !boost::apply_visitor(IsGpuPlace(), p);
+}
+
+bool places_are_same_class(const Place& p1, const Place& p2) {
+    return is_gpu_place(p1) == is_gpu_place(p2);
+}
+
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const majel::Place& p) {
+    majel::detail::PlacePrinter printer(os);
+    boost::apply_visitor(printer, p);
+    return os;
+}
+
+}  // namespace majel
diff --git a/majel/place.h b/majel/place.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..ad3dc3fe0b80ac5dc10a59910c580d7912469cd4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/majel/place.h
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <boost/variant.hpp>
+#include <iostream>
+
+namespace majel {
+
+struct CpuPlace {
+  CpuPlace() {}  // WORKAROUND: for some reason, omitting this constructor
+                 // causes errors with boost 1.59 and OSX
+  // needed for variant equality comparison
+  inline bool operator==(const CpuPlace&) const { return true; }
+
+  inline bool operator!=(const CpuPlace&) const { return false; }
+};
+
+struct GpuPlace {
+  GpuPlace(int d) : device(d) {}
+
+  // needed for variant equality comparison
+  inline bool operator==(const GpuPlace& o) const { return device == o.device; }
+
+  inline bool operator!=(const GpuPlace& o) const { return !(*this == o); }
+
+  GpuPlace() : GpuPlace(0) {}
+  int device;
+};
+
+class IsGpuPlace : public boost::static_visitor<bool> {
+public:
+  bool operator()(const CpuPlace&) const { return false; }
+
+  bool operator()(const GpuPlace& gpu) const { return true; }
+};
+
+typedef boost::variant<GpuPlace, CpuPlace> Place;
+
+void set_place(const Place&);
+
+const Place& get_place();
+
+const GpuPlace default_gpu();
+const CpuPlace default_cpu();
+
+bool is_gpu_place(const Place&);
+bool is_cpu_place(const Place&);
+bool places_are_same_class(const Place&, const Place&);
+
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream&, const majel::Place&);
+
+}  // namespace majel
diff --git a/majel/place_test.cu b/majel/place_test.cu
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..cb8294613037850727817a87f12bd93744f178c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/majel/place_test.cu
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#include "gtest/gtest.h"
+#include "majel/place.h"
+#include <sstream>
+
+TEST(Place, Equality) {
+  majel::CpuPlace cpu;
+  majel::GpuPlace g0(0), g1(1), gg0(0);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(cpu, cpu);
+  EXPECT_EQ(g0, g0);
+  EXPECT_EQ(g1, g1);
+  EXPECT_EQ(g0, gg0);
+
+  EXPECT_NE(g0, g1);
+
+  EXPECT_TRUE(majel::places_are_same_class(g0, gg0));
+  EXPECT_FALSE(majel::places_are_same_class(g0, cpu));
+}
+
+TEST(Place, Default) {
+  EXPECT_TRUE(majel::is_gpu_place( majel::get_place()));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(majel::is_gpu_place( majel::default_gpu()));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(majel::is_cpu_place( majel::default_cpu()));
+
+  majel::set_place(majel::CpuPlace());
+  EXPECT_TRUE(majel::is_cpu_place( majel::get_place()));
+}
+
+TEST(Place, Print) {
+  {
+    std::stringstream ss;
+    ss << majel::GpuPlace(1);
+    EXPECT_EQ("GpuPlace(1)", ss.str());
+  }
+  {
+     std::stringstream ss;
+     ss << majel::CpuPlace();
+     EXPECT_EQ("CpuPlace", ss.str());
+  }
+}