diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dc28c5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+build/
+install/
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77e3b29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+language: generic
+cache: ccache
+
+addons:
+  apt:
+    packages:
+      - build-essential
+      - git
+      - cmake
+      - libboost-all-dev
+      - libxml-xpath-perl
+      - libboost-all-dev
+      - omniorb
+      - omniidl
+      - omniorb-nameserver
+      - libomniorb4-dev
+      - pkg-config
+      - clang-3.8
+
+env:
+  global:
+    - BOOST_TEST_LOG_LEVEL=message
+    - CFLAGS="-Wall -Wextra -Wno-unused-parameter"
+
+matrix:
+  include:
+    - os: linux
+      dist: xenial
+      env: COMPILER=gcc CXXFLAGS="-std=gnu++03 -Wall -Wextra -Wno-unused-parameter"
+    - os: linux
+      dist: xenial
+      env: COMPILER=gcc CXXFLAGS="-std=c++11 -Wall -Wextra -Wno-unused-parameter"
+    - os: linux
+      dist: xenial
+      env: COMPILER=clang-3.8 CXXFLAGS="-std=c++11 -Wall -Wextra -Wno-unused-parameter"
+    - os: linux
+      dist: xenial
+      env: COMPILER=clang CXXFLAGS="-std=c++11 -Wall -Wextra -Wno-unused-parameter"
+    - os: osx
+      osx_image: xcode10.1
+
+branches:
+  only:
+  - master
+  - /^toolchain-[\d\.]+[\d]$/
+
+before_install:
+  # Set C/C++ compiler
+  - |
+    if [[ "${COMPILER}" != "" ]]; then
+      export CC=${COMPILER}
+      if [[ "${COMPILER}" == "gcc"* ]]; then
+        export CXX=${COMPILER/gcc/g++}
+      elif [[ "${COMPILER}" == "clang"* ]]; then
+        export CXX=${COMPILER/clang/clang++}
+      fi
+      ${CC} --version
+      ${CXX} --version
+    fi
+
+  # Install HomeBrew dependencies (macOS only)
+  - |
+    if [[ "$TRAVIS_OS_NAME" == "osx" ]]; then
+      brew update
+      brew reinstall boost cmake ccache gnu-getopt readline omniorb
+      brew link --force gnu-getopt
+      brew link --force readline
+      export PATH="/use/local/opt/ccache/libexec:$PATH"
+    fi
+
+script:
+  # Build and install the Orocos Toolchain
+  - ./configure --enable-corba --omniorb
+  - make -j2 install
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f441413
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+##
+## Top-level CMakeLists.txt to build and install the whole Orocos Toolchain
+##
+
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)
+
+# capture CMake arguments specified at the command-line
+# (taken from https://stackoverflow.com/a/48555098)
+
+# MUST be done before call to 'project'
+get_cmake_property(vars CACHE_VARIABLES)
+foreach(var ${vars})
+  if(NOT var MATCHES "^(CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX|CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE|GIT_BASE_URL|GIT_TAG|OROCOS_TARGET|BUILD_STATIC|ENABLE_CORBA|CORBA_IMPLEMENTATION)$")
+    get_property(currentHelpString CACHE "${var}" PROPERTY HELPSTRING)
+    if("${currentHelpString}" MATCHES "No help, variable specified on the command line." OR "${currentHelpString}" STREQUAL "")
+      #message("${var} = [${${var}}]  --  ${currentHelpString}") # uncomment to see the variables being processed
+      list(APPEND CL_ARGS "-D${var}=${${var}}")
+    endif()
+  endif()
+endforeach()
+
+project(orocos_toolchain)
+
+######################
+# Build-time options #
+######################
+
+# get absolute CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX
+if (CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX_INITIALIZED_TO_DEFAULT)
+  set(CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/install")
+endif()
+set(CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}" CACHE PATH "Install path prefix, prepended onto install directories" FORCE)
+message(STATUS "CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX: ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}")
+
+# (copied from rtt/orocos-rtt.default.cmake)
+
+#
+# Sets the CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE to Release by default. This is not a normal
+# CMake flag which is not readable during configuration time.
+if (NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+  set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE RelWithDebInfo CACHE STRING "Choose the type of build, options are: None(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS or CMAKE_C_FLAGS used) Debug Release RelWithDebInfo MinSizeRel." FORCE)
+endif()
+
+#
+# Set the target operating system. One of [lxrt gnulinux xenomai macosx win32]
+# You may leave this as-is or force a certain target by removing the if... logic.
+#
+set(DOC_STRING "The Operating System target. One of [gnulinux lxrt macosx win32 xenomai]")
+set(OROCOS_TARGET_ENV $ENV{OROCOS_TARGET}) # MUST use helper variable, otherwise not picked up !!!
+if( OROCOS_TARGET_ENV )
+  set(OROCOS_TARGET ${OROCOS_TARGET_ENV} CACHE STRING "${DOC_STRING}" FORCE)
+  message(STATUS "Detected OROCOS_TARGET environment variable. Using: ${OROCOS_TARGET}")
+else()
+  if(NOT DEFINED OROCOS_TARGET )
+    if(MSVC)
+      set(OROCOS_TARGET win32    CACHE STRING "${DOC_STRING}")
+    elseif(APPLE AND ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} MATCHES "Darwin")
+      set(OROCOS_TARGET macosx   CACHE STRING "${DOC_STRING}")
+    else()
+      set(OROCOS_TARGET gnulinux CACHE STRING "${DOC_STRING}")
+    endif()
+  endif()
+  message(STATUS "No OROCOS_TARGET environment variable set. Using: ${OROCOS_TARGET}")
+endif()
+
+# (copied from rtt/config/check_depend.cmake)
+
+#
+# Build static libraries?
+#
+option(BUILD_STATIC "Build Orocos RTT as a static library." OFF)
+
+#
+# CORBA
+#
+option(ENABLE_CORBA "Enable CORBA" OFF)
+if(NOT CORBA_IMPLEMENTATION)
+  set(CORBA_IMPLEMENTATION "TAO" CACHE STRING "The implementation of CORBA to use (allowed values: TAO or OMNIORB )" )
+else()
+  set(CORBA_IMPLEMENTATION ${CORBA_IMPLEMENTATION} CACHE STRING "The implementation of CORBA to use (allowed values: TAO or OMNIORB )" )
+endif()
+
+#############
+# Git magic #
+#############
+
+if(EXISTS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/.git")
+  set(IS_GIT TRUE)
+else()
+  set(IS_GIT FALSE)
+endif()
+
+set(GIT_BASE_URL "https://github.com/orocos-toolchain/")
+set(GIT_TAG "" CACHE STRING "Git branch or tag to checkout in submodules. If empty, use the commits tracked by submodules or the default branches.")
+
+if(GIT_TAG)
+  message(STATUS "Building branch or tag ${GIT_TAG} for all submodules.")
+endif()
+
+#################################
+# Build and install subprojects #
+#################################
+
+include(ExternalProject)
+function(build_external_project project)
+  cmake_parse_arguments(ARG "" "" "CMAKE_ARGS" ${ARGN})
+
+  set(${project}_BINARY_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${project})
+  set(${project}_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${project})
+
+  if(IS_GIT)
+    # Use the submodules...
+    set(DOWNLOAD_AND_UPDATE_OPTIONS
+      DOWNLOAD_COMMAND
+        cd "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}" && test -e ${project}/.git || git submodule update --init ${project}
+    )
+
+    # Specific branch/tag?
+    if(GIT_TAG)
+      list(APPEND DOWNLOAD_AND_UPDATE_OPTIONS
+        UPDATE_COMMAND
+          cd "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${project}" && git checkout "${GIT_TAG}"
+      )
+    endif()
+
+  else()
+    # Clone from remote repository...
+    set(DOWNLOAD_AND_UPDATE_OPTIONS
+      GIT_REPOSITORY "${GIT_BASE_URL}${project}.git"
+      GIT_TAG "${GIT_TAG}"
+    )
+  endif()
+
+  # Set PKG_CONFIG_PATH to be used by subprojects
+  set(PKG_CONFIG_PATH "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/lib/pkgconfig:$ENV{PKG_CONFIG_PATH}")
+
+  ExternalProject_Add(${project}
+    PREFIX ${project}
+    TMP_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/tmp"
+    STAMP_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/stamp"
+    DOWNLOAD_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${project}"
+    SOURCE_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${project}"
+    BINARY_DIR "${${project}_BINARY_DIR}"
+    INSTALL_DIR "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}"
+
+    ${DOWNLOAD_AND_UPDATE_OPTIONS}
+    PATCH_COMMAND #nothing
+    BUILD_ALWAYS ON
+
+    CMAKE_COMMAND
+      ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E env "PKG_CONFIG_PATH=${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}" ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
+
+    CMAKE_ARGS
+      -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}
+      -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}
+      -DOROCOS_TARGET=${OROCOS_TARGET}
+      ${ARG_CMAKE_ARGS}
+
+    ${ARG_UNPARSED_ARGUMENTS}
+  )
+endfunction()
+
+build_external_project(log4cpp)
+build_external_project(rtt
+  CMAKE_ARGS
+    -DENABLE_CORBA=${ENABLE_CORBA}
+    -DCORBA_IMPLEMENTATION=${CORBA_IMPLEMENTATION}
+    -DBUILD_STATIC=${BUILD_STATIC}
+)
+build_external_project(ocl
+  DEPENDS log4cpp rtt
+)
+
+build_external_project(utilrb)
+build_external_project(typelib
+  DEPENDS utilrb
+)
+build_external_project(rtt_typelib
+  DEPENDS rtt typelib
+)
+build_external_project(orogen
+  DEPENDS rtt rtt_typelib utilrb
+)
+
+#######################################
+# Build orocos_toolchain meta package #
+#######################################
+
+if(EXISTS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/orocos_toolchain)
+  add_subdirectory(orocos_toolchain)
+endif()
+
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9b15f72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+.PHONY: all install
+all: build/CMakeCache.txt
+	$(MAKE) -C build $@
+
+build/CMakeCache.txt: configure
+
+configure:
+	./configure
+.PHONY: configure
+
+install: all
+.PHONY: install
+
+.DEFAULT: build/CMakeCache.txt
+	$(MAKE) -C build $@
+
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f917198
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+# The Orocos Toolchain
+
+The Open RObot COntrol Software ([Orocos](http://www.orocos.org/)) Toolchain is a bundle of multiple packages, which need to be build and installed separately.
+
+- [Orocos Real-Time Toolkit (rtt)](https://github.com/orocos-toolchain/rtt) - a component framework that allows us to write real-time components in C++
+- [Orocos Log4cpp (log4cpp)](https://github.com/orocos-toolchain/log4cpp) -
+  a patched version of the [Log4cpp](http://log4cpp.sourceforge.net/) library for flexible logging to files, syslog, IDSA and other destinations
+- [Orocos Component Library (ocl)](https://github.com/orocos-toolchain/ocl) - the necessary components to start an application and interact with it at run-time
+
+Futhermore the Orocos Toolchain comes with [oroGen](http://www.rock-robotics.org/stable/documentation/orogen/) and some of its dependencies,
+a specification language and code generator for the Orocos Realtime Toolkit. Also check the installation instructions of the
+[Rock - the Robot Construction Kit](http://www.rock-robotics.org/stable/index.html) project for further details.
+
+You might also want to have a look at the following sister projects, which are out of the scope of this manual:
+- [Orocos Kinematics Dynamics Library (KDL)](http://www.orocos.org/kdl) - an application independent framework for modeling and computation of kinematic chains
+- [Orocos Bayesian Filtering Library (BFL)](http://www.orocos.org/bfl) - an application independent framework for inference in Dynamic Bayesian Networks, i.e., recursive information processing and estimation algorithms based on Bayes' rule
+- [Reduced Finite State Machine (rFSM)](https://orocos.github.io/rFSM/README.html) - a small and powerful statechart implementation in Lua
+
+## Documentation
+
+The latest documentation and API reference is currently available at https://orocos-toolchain.github.io/.
+
+## Get Started?
+
+### Install binary packages
+
+The Orocos project provides binary packages as part of the [ROS distribution](http://www.ros.org) for various platforms.
+Check and follow the [ROS installation instructions](http://wiki.ros.org/ROS/Installation), then run
+```sh
+sudo apt-get install ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-orocos-toolchain
+```
+
+to install the Orocos Toolchain packages.
+
+As a ROS user, you might also be interested in the [rtt_ros_integration](http://wiki.ros.org/rtt_ros_integration) project:
+```sh
+sudo apt-get install ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-rtt-ros-integration
+```
+
+### Build the toolchain from source
+
+First, clone this repository and its submodules with the command
+```sh
+git clone https://github.com/orocos-toolchain/orocos_toolchain.git --recursive
+```
+
+If you already have a working copy, make sure that all submodules are up-to-date:
+```sh
+git submodule update --init --recursive
+```
+
+The next step is to configure the toolchain according to your needs:
+```sh
+./configure --prefix=<installation prefix> [<options>]
+```
+
+```sh
+Usage: ./configure [<options>] [<additional cmake arguments>]
+
+Available options:
+
+  --prefix <prefix>        Installation prefix (-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX)
+
+  --{en|dis}able-corba     Enable/Disable CORBA transport plugin (-DENABLE_CORBA)
+  --omniorb                Select CORBA implementation OmniORB
+  --tao                    Select CORBA implementation TAO
+```
+
+`configure` is nothing else than a simple wrapper around [CMake](https://cmake.org/).
+Check `./configure --help` for the latest available options.
+
+Last but not least, build the toolchain by running
+```sh
+make install [-j<parallel jobs>]
+```
+
diff --git a/configure b/configure
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..94afd84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/configure
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+##
+usage() {
+  cat <<USAGE >&2
+Usage: $0 [<options>] [<additional cmake arguments>]
+
+Available options:
+
+  --prefix <prefix>        Installation prefix (-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX)
+
+  --{en|dis}able-corba     Enable/Disable CORBA transport plugin (-DENABLE_CORBA)
+  --omniorb                Select CORBA implementation OmniORB
+  --tao                    Select CORBA implementation TAO
+
+USAGE
+  exit 1
+}
+
+## Parse command line arguments
+CMAKE_ARGS=()
+while (( "$#" )); do
+  case "$1" in
+    --help|-h)
+      usage ;;
+
+    --prefix=*)
+      # set as two separate options
+      prefix=${1#--prefix=}
+      shift
+      set -- --prefix "${prefix}" "$@"
+      ;;
+
+    --prefix)
+      CMAKE_ARGS+=("-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$2")
+      shift 2 ;;
+
+    --enable-corba)
+      CMAKE_ARGS+=("-DENABLE_CORBA=ON")
+      shift ;;
+    --disable-corba)
+      CMAKE_ARGS+=("-DENABLE_CORBA=OFF")
+      shift ;;
+    --omniorb)
+      CMAKE_ARGS+=("-DCORBA_IMPLEMENTATION=OMNIORB")
+      shift ;;
+    --tao)
+      CMAKE_ARGS+=("-DCORBA_IMPLEMENTATION=TAO")
+      shift ;;
+
+    *)
+      CMAKE_ARGS+=("$1")
+      shift ;;
+  esac
+done
+
+## Invoke cmake
+mkdir -p build && cd build && cmake .. "${CMAKE_ARGS[@]}"
+
diff --git a/orocos_toolchain/CMakeLists.txt b/orocos_toolchain/CMakeLists.txt
index d08741b..f07bccb 100644
--- a/orocos_toolchain/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/orocos_toolchain/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,8 +12,23 @@ else()
   )
 endif()
 
-# need to find Orocos RTT to set OROCOS_TARGET and other cmake variables
-find_package(OROCOS-RTT REQUIRED)
+# Set the default target operating system, if unspecified
+set(DOC_STRING "The Operating System target. One of [gnulinux lxrt macosx win32 xenomai]")
+set(OROCOS_TARGET_ENV $ENV{OROCOS_TARGET}) # MUST use helper variable, otherwise not picked up !!!
+if(OROCOS_TARGET_ENV)
+  set(OROCOS_TARGET ${OROCOS_TARGET_ENV} CACHE STRING "${DOC_STRING}" FORCE)
+  message(STATUS "- Detected OROCOS_TARGET environment variable. Using: ${OROCOS_TARGET}")
+else()
+  if(NOT DEFINED OROCOS_TARGET)
+    if(MSVC)
+      set(OROCOS_TARGET win32    CACHE STRING "${DOC_STRING}")
+    elseif(APPLE AND CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES "Darwin")
+      set(OROCOS_TARGET macosx   CACHE STRING "${DOC_STRING}")
+    else()
+      set(OROCOS_TARGET gnulinux CACHE STRING "${DOC_STRING}")
+    endif()
+  endif()
+endif()
 
 set(OROCOS_SETUP_DESTINATION "etc/orocos" CACHE STRING "Destination folder for Orocos setup files (setup.sh, env.sh), relative to CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX")
 configure_file(../setup.sh ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/setup.sh @ONLY)