diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ca37570..8e5e5f8 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -29,3 +29,5 @@ backup
 coverage
 coverage/*
 .venv
+*.glb
+imgui.ini
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 99a8005..0e6f65d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ shaders:
 %.png: %.dot
 	dot -Tpng $< -o $@
 
-build: 
+%.glb: %.glb.gz
+	gunzip $<
+
+build: basicmesh.glb 
 	meson compile -j 10 -C $(ROOT_DIR)/builddir
 
 release_build:
diff --git a/basicmesh.glb.gz b/basicmesh.glb.gz
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5898895
Binary files /dev/null and b/basicmesh.glb.gz differ
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 64df191..0346d16 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ elif build_machine.system() == 'darwin'
 endif
 
 vma = subproject('vulkan-memory-allocator').get_variable('vma_allocator_dep')
-# vulkan_headers = subproject('vulkan-headers').get_variable('vulkan_headers_dep')
 
 imgui = subproject('imgui',
   default_options: {
@@ -79,7 +78,7 @@ imgui = subproject('imgui',
   ).get_variable('imgui_dep')
 
 sdl2 = subproject('sdl2').get_variable('sdl2_dep')
-
+fastgltf = subproject('fastgltf').get_variable('fastgltf_dep')
 
 glm_opts = cmake.subproject_options()
 glm_opts.add_cmake_defines({
@@ -121,16 +120,21 @@ sources = [
   'vk_images.cpp',
   'vk_descriptors.cpp',
   'vk_pipelines.cpp',
+  'vk_loader.cpp',
   'vk_gui.cpp',
   'main.cpp',
 ]
 
+# have to force this here for...cmake reasons
+include_dirs = include_directories('subprojects/fastgltf/include')
+
 tests = [
 ]
 
 executable('hellovulk', sources,
   cpp_args: cpp_args,
   link_args: link_args,
+  include_directories: include_dirs,
   win_subsystem: 'windows',
   override_options: exe_defaults,
   dependencies: dependencies)
diff --git a/vk_loader.cpp b/vk_loader.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a5249f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vk_loader.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#include "vk_loader.h"
+#include "vendor/stb_image.h"
+#include <iostream>
+
+#include "vk_engine.h"
+#include "vk_initializers.h"
+#include "vk_types.h"
+#include <glm/gtx/quaternion.hpp>
+
+#include <fastgltf/glm_element_traits.hpp>
+#include <fastgltf/core.hpp>
+#include <fastgltf/tools.hpp>
+
+
+std::optional<std::vector<std::shared_ptr<MeshAsset>>> loadGltfMeshes(VulkanEngine* engine, std::filesystem::path filePath)
+{
+
+  return std::nullopt;
+}
diff --git a/vk_loader.h b/vk_loader.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7e553f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vk_loader.h
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <vk_types.h>
+#include <unordered_map>
+#include <filesystem>
+
+struct GeoSurface {
+  uint32_t startIndex;
+  uint32_t count;
+};
+
+struct MeshAsset {
+  std::string name;
+
+  std::vector<GeoSurface> surfaces;
+  GPUMeshBuffers meshBuffers;
+};
+
+class VulkanEngine;
+
+std::optional<std::vector<std::shared_ptr<MeshAsset>>> loadGltfMeshes(VulkanEngine* engine, std::filesystem::path filePath);
+
diff --git a/vk_types.h b/vk_types.h
index 4f93e18..d491e6f 100644
--- a/vk_types.h
+++ b/vk_types.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 #include <print>
 
+#define GLM_ENABLE_EXPERIMENTAL 1
 #include <glm/mat4x4.hpp>
 #include <glm/vec4.hpp>
 
diff --git a/wraps/fastgltf.wrap b/wraps/fastgltf.wrap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..abac338
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wraps/fastgltf.wrap
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[wrap-git]
+directory=fastgltf
+url=https://github.com/spnda/fastgltf.git
+revision=v0.9.x
+depth=1
+method=cmake
+
+[provide]
+fastgltf = fastgltf_dep