diff --git a/migrations/001.create-core.up.sql b/migrations/001.create-core.up.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..10eaf059
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/001.create-core.up.sql
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+--
+-- Geometries table
+--
+-- To store building outlines.
+-- Geometries form the backbone, expected to be provided from other sources.
+CREATE TABLE geometries (
+    -- integer for internal unique id
+    -- may consider guid for global uniqueness
+    geometry_id serial PRIMARY KEY,
+    -- jsonb document for all data, source ID, attributes
+    geometry_doc jsonb,
+    -- geometry as EPSG:3857 avoiding reprojection for tiles
+    geometry_geom geometry(POLYGON, 3857)
+);
+
+-- Spatial index over building outlines
+CREATE INDEX geometries_idx ON geometries USING GIST ( geometry_geom );
+
+--
+-- Buildings table
+--
+-- To store collected data.
+-- This is the core dataset to be collected by the application.
+CREATE TABLE buildings (
+    -- integer for internal unique id
+    -- may consider guid for global uniqueness
+    building_id serial PRIMARY KEY,
+    -- jsonb document for all data, attributes to be specified in application
+    building_doc jsonb,
+    -- reference to geometry, aiming to decouple from geometry provider
+    geometry_id integer REFERENCES geometries
+);
+
+-- Index over building geometry (expect to look up building by geometry_id)
+CREATE INDEX building_geometry_idx ON buildings ( geometry_id );
+
+--
+-- Users table
+--
+-- Minimal user data to support login and edit history
+CREATE TABLE users (
+    -- internal unique id
+    user_id serial PRIMARY KEY,
+    -- username for login (required)
+    username varchar UNIQUE NOT NULL,
+    -- email address for password reset (optional)
+    email varchar(50),
+    -- salt - to be generated by application
+    salt varchar (20),
+    -- password - as generated application from hash(salt+password)
+    pass varchar(60)
+);
+
+CREATE INDEX user_username_idx ON users ( username );
+CREATE INDEX user_email_idx ON users ( email );
+
+--
+-- Log table
+--
+-- To store all changes to building data, recording users and change in data
+-- over time.
+CREATE TABLE log (
+    -- integer for internal unique id
+    log_id bigserial PRIMARY KEY,
+    -- default timestamp to time now
+    log_timestamp TIMESTAMP default NOW(),
+    -- log document to be extended in application
+    -- log change action (CREATE/UPDATE/DELETE)
+    log_doc jsonb,
+    -- log user id
+    user_id integer REFERENCES users
+);
+
+CREATE INDEX log_timestamp_idx ON log ( log_timestamp );
+CREATE INDEX log_user_idx ON log ( user_id );
diff --git a/migrations/001.drop-core.down.sql b/migrations/001.drop-core.down.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..db29e368
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/001.drop-core.down.sql
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+-- Drop all tables
+DROP TABLE IF EXISTS log;
+DROP TABLE IF EXISTS users;
+DROP TABLE IF EXISTS buildings;
+DROP TABLE IF EXISTS geometries;