diff --git a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/GapTile.js b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/GapTile.js
index cebffe24..240c071c 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/GapTile.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/GapTile.js
@@ -24,12 +24,20 @@ export default class GapTile extends SimpleTile {
         }
     }
 
+    get shape() {
+        return "gap";
+    }
+
     get isLoading() {
         return this._loading;
     }
 
-    get direction() {
-        return this._entry.direction;
+    get isUp() {
+        return this._entry.direction.isBackward;
+    }
+
+    get isDown() {
+        return this._entry.direction.isForward;
     }
 
     get error() {
diff --git a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/ImageTile.js b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/ImageTile.js
index 8c18491e..ebe8d022 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/ImageTile.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/ImageTile.js
@@ -19,4 +19,8 @@ export default class ImageTile extends MessageTile {
     get height() {
         return 200;
     }
+
+    get label() {
+        return "this is an image";
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/MessageTile.js b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/MessageTile.js
index f57f8379..8ada2310 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/MessageTile.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/MessageTile.js
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ export default class MessageTile extends SimpleTile {
         this._date = new Date(this._entry.event.origin_server_ts);
     }
 
+    get shape() {
+        return "message";
+    }
+
     get sender() {
         return this._entry.event.sender;
     }
diff --git a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/RoomMemberTile.js b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/RoomMemberTile.js
index df31945c..cc9796e9 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/RoomMemberTile.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/RoomMemberTile.js
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import SimpleTile from "./SimpleTile.js";
 
 export default class RoomNameTile extends SimpleTile {
+
+    get shape() {
+        return "announcement";
+    }
+
     get label() {
         const event = this._entry.event;
         const content = event.content;
diff --git a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/RoomNameTile.js b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/RoomNameTile.js
index e352b168..756d8d97 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/RoomNameTile.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/RoomNameTile.js
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import SimpleTile from "./SimpleTile.js";
 
 export default class RoomNameTile extends SimpleTile {
+    
+    get shape() {
+        return "annoucement";
+    }
+
     get label() {
         const event = this._entry.event;
         const content = event.content;
diff --git a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/TextTile.js b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/TextTile.js
index 092ff889..08c330f5 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/TextTile.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/TextTile.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import MessageTile from "./MessageTile.js";
 
 export default class TextTile extends MessageTile {
-    get text() {
+    get label() {
         const content = this._getContent();
         const body = content && content.body;
         if (this._entry.type() === "m.emote") {
diff --git a/src/ui/web/RoomView.js b/src/ui/web/RoomView.js
index 987bdeeb..fd18ba6f 100644
--- a/src/ui/web/RoomView.js
+++ b/src/ui/web/RoomView.js
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@ export default class RoomView {
     mount() {
         this._viewModel.on("change", this._onViewModelUpdate);
         this._nameLabel = html.h2(null, this._viewModel.name);
-        this._timelineList = new ListView({
-            list: this._viewModel.timelineEntries
-        }, entry => new TimelineTile(entry));
+        this._timelineList = new ListView({}, entry => new TimelineTile(entry));
         this._timelineList.mount();
 
         this._root = html.div({className: "RoomView"}, [
@@ -40,8 +38,8 @@ export default class RoomView {
         if (prop === "name") {
             this._nameLabel.innerText = this._viewModel.name;
         }
-        else if (prop === "timelineEntries") {
-            this._timelineList.update({list: this._viewModel.timelineEntries});
+        else if (prop === "timelineViewModel") {
+            this._timelineList.update({list: this._viewModel.timelineViewModel.tiles});
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/ui/web/TimelineTile.js b/src/ui/web/TimelineTile.js
index 7c362d78..a8d7e481 100644
--- a/src/ui/web/TimelineTile.js
+++ b/src/ui/web/TimelineTile.js
@@ -1,29 +1,8 @@
 import * as html from "./html.js";
 
-function tileText(event) {
-    const content = event.content;
-    switch (event.type) {
-        case "m.room.message": {
-            const msgtype = content.msgtype;
-            switch (msgtype) {
-                case "m.text":
-                    return content.body;
-                default:
-                    return `unsupported msgtype: ${msgtype}`;
-            }
-        }
-        case "m.room.name":
-            return `changed the room name to "${content.name}"`;
-        case "m.room.member":
-            return `changed membership to ${content.membership}`;
-        default:
-            return `unsupported event type: ${event.type}`;
-    }
-}
-
 export default class TimelineTile {
-    constructor(entry) {
-        this._entry = entry;
+    constructor(tileVM) {
+        this._tileVM = tileVM;
         this._root = null;
     }
 
@@ -32,21 +11,7 @@ export default class TimelineTile {
     }
 
     mount() {
-        let children;
-        if (this._entry.gap) {
-            children = [
-                html.strong(null, "Gap"),
-                " with prev_batch ",
-                html.strong(null, this._entry.gap.prev_batch)
-            ];
-        } else if (this._entry.event) {
-            const event = this._entry.event;
-            children = [
-                html.strong(null, event.sender),
-                `: ${tileText(event)}`,
-            ];
-        }
-        this._root = html.li(null, children);
+        this._root = renderTile(this._tileVM);
         return this._root;
     }
 
@@ -54,3 +19,23 @@ export default class TimelineTile {
 
     update() {}
 }
+
+function renderTile(tile) {
+    switch (tile.shape) {
+        case "message":
+            return html.li(null, [html.strong(tile.sender), `: ${tile.label}`]);
+        case "gap": {
+            const button = html.button(null, (tile.isUp ? "🠝" : "🠟") + " fill gap");
+            const handler = () => {
+                tile.fill();
+                button.removeEventListener("click", handler);
+            };
+            button.addEventListener("click", handler);
+            return html.li(null, button);
+        }
+        case "announcement":
+            return html.li(null, tile.label);
+        default:
+            return html.li(null, "unknown tile shape: " + tile.shape);
+    }
+}