diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 19810be445..9a77cecefd 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -3116,6 +3116,14 @@ void Application::displaySide(Camera& theCamera, bool selfAvatarOnly, RenderArgs
             }
         }
     } else if (skyStage->getBackgroundMode() == model::SunSkyStage::SKY_BOX) {
+        auto skybox = skyStage->getSkybox();
+        if (skybox) {
+            gpu::Batch batch;
+            model::Skybox::render(batch, _viewFrustum, *skybox);
+
+            gpu::GLBackend::renderBatch(batch);
+            glUseProgram(0);
+        }
     }
 
     if (Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::Wireframe)) {
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Batch.cpp b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Batch.cpp
index 4b145b55a0..bff99e7ec3 100644
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Batch.cpp
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Batch.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,18 @@ void Batch::drawIndexedInstanced(uint32 nbInstances, Primitive primitiveType, ui
     _params.push_back(nbInstances);
 }
 
+void Batch::clearFramebuffer(Framebuffer::Masks targets, const Vec4& color, float depth, int stencil) {
+    ADD_COMMAND(clearFramebuffer);
+
+    _params.push_back(stencil);
+    _params.push_back(depth);
+    _params.push_back(color.w);
+    _params.push_back(color.z);
+    _params.push_back(color.y);
+    _params.push_back(color.x);
+    _params.push_back(targets);
+}
+
 void Batch::setInputFormat(const Stream::FormatPointer& format) {
     ADD_COMMAND(setInputFormat);
 
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Batch.h b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Batch.h
index b6bc05ab40..b369c05646 100644
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Batch.h
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Batch.h
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ public:
     void drawInstanced(uint32 nbInstances, Primitive primitiveType, uint32 nbVertices, uint32 startVertex = 0, uint32 startInstance = 0);
     void drawIndexedInstanced(uint32 nbInstances, Primitive primitiveType, uint32 nbIndices, uint32 startIndex = 0, uint32 startInstance = 0);
 
+    // Clear framebuffer layers
+    void clearFramebuffer(Framebuffer::Masks targets, const Vec4& color, float depth, int stencil);
+    
     // Input Stage
     // InputFormat
     // InputBuffers
@@ -160,6 +163,8 @@ public:
         COMMAND_drawInstanced,
         COMMAND_drawIndexedInstanced,
 
+        COMMAND_clearFramebuffer,
+
         COMMAND_setInputFormat,
         COMMAND_setInputBuffer,
         COMMAND_setIndexBuffer,
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Context.h b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Context.h
index 022ca02d6d..7ffb22f1c8 100644
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Context.h
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Context.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ public:
         Mat4 _viewInverse;
         Mat4 _projectionViewUntranslated;
         Mat4 _projection;
+        Mat4 _projectionInverse;
         Vec4 _viewport;
     };
 
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Framebuffer.h b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Framebuffer.h
index 69e507f824..50f42ed4fb 100755
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Framebuffer.h
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Framebuffer.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ public:
         BUFFER_STENCIL = 0x80000000,
         BUFFER_DEPTHSTENCIL = 0xC0000000,
     };
+    typedef uint32 Masks;
 
     ~Framebuffer();
 
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ public:
 
 
     // Properties
-    uint32 getBufferMask() const { return _bufferMask; }
+    Masks getBufferMask() const { return _bufferMask; }
     bool isEmpty() const { return (_bufferMask == 0); }
     bool hasColor() const { return (getBufferMask() & BUFFER_COLORS); }
     bool hasDepthStencil() const { return (getBufferMask() & BUFFER_DEPTHSTENCIL); }
@@ -137,7 +138,7 @@ protected:
     TextureViews _renderBuffers;
     TextureView _depthStencilBuffer;
 
-    uint32 _bufferMask = 0;
+    Masks _bufferMask = 0;
 
     uint32 _frameCount = 0;
 
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackend.cpp b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackend.cpp
index a898c9042b..3c0ff4b309 100644
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackend.cpp
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackend.cpp
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ GLBackend::CommandCall GLBackend::_commandCalls[Batch::NUM_COMMANDS] =
     (&::gpu::GLBackend::do_drawIndexed),
     (&::gpu::GLBackend::do_drawInstanced),
     (&::gpu::GLBackend::do_drawIndexedInstanced),
-
+    (&::gpu::GLBackend::do_clearFramebuffer),
+    
     (&::gpu::GLBackend::do_setInputFormat),
     (&::gpu::GLBackend::do_setInputBuffer),
     (&::gpu::GLBackend::do_setIndexBuffer),
@@ -170,6 +171,39 @@ void GLBackend::do_drawIndexedInstanced(Batch& batch, uint32 paramOffset) {
     (void) CHECK_GL_ERROR();
 }
 
+void GLBackend::do_clearFramebuffer(Batch& batch, uint32 paramOffset) {
+
+    uint32 masks = batch._params[paramOffset + 6]._uint;
+    Vec4 color;
+    color.x = batch._params[paramOffset + 5]._float;
+    color.y = batch._params[paramOffset + 4]._float;
+    color.z = batch._params[paramOffset + 3]._float;
+    color.w = batch._params[paramOffset + 2]._float;
+    float depth = batch._params[paramOffset + 1]._float;
+    int stencil = batch._params[paramOffset + 0]._float;
+
+    GLuint glmask = 0;
+    if (masks & Framebuffer::BUFFER_DEPTH) {
+        glClearStencil(stencil);
+        glmask |= GL_STENCIL_BUFFER_BIT;
+    }
+
+    if (masks & Framebuffer::BUFFER_DEPTH) {
+        glClearDepth(depth);
+        glmask |= GL_DEPTH_BUFFER_BIT;
+    } 
+
+    if (masks & Framebuffer::BUFFER_COLORS) {
+        glClearColor(color.x, color.y, color.z, color.w);
+        glmask |= GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT;
+    }
+
+    glClear(glmask);
+
+    (void) CHECK_GL_ERROR();
+}
+
+
 // TODO: As long as we have gl calls explicitely issued from interface
 // code, we need to be able to record and batch these calls. THe long 
 // term strategy is to get rid of any GL calls in favor of the HIFI GPU API
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackend.h b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackend.h
index b725fa46d0..9943af1679 100644
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackend.h
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackend.h
@@ -191,6 +191,8 @@ protected:
     void do_drawInstanced(Batch& batch, uint32 paramOffset);
     void do_drawIndexedInstanced(Batch& batch, uint32 paramOffset);
 
+    void do_clearFramebuffer(Batch& batch, uint32 paramOffset);
+
     // Input Stage
     void do_setInputFormat(Batch& batch, uint32 paramOffset);
     void do_setInputBuffer(Batch& batch, uint32 paramOffset);
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendPipeline.cpp b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendPipeline.cpp
index 48a45ce93f..938ed77730 100755
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendPipeline.cpp
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendPipeline.cpp
@@ -171,10 +171,21 @@ void GLBackend::do_setUniformTexture(Batch& batch, uint32 paramOffset) {
     GLuint slot = batch._params[paramOffset + 1]._uint;
     TexturePointer uniformTexture = batch._textures.get(batch._params[paramOffset + 0]._uint);
 
-    GLuint to = getTextureID(uniformTexture);
-    glActiveTexture(GL_TEXTURE0 + slot);
-    glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, to);
+    if (!uniformTexture) {
+        return;
+    }
 
-    (void) CHECK_GL_ERROR();
+    GLTexture* object = GLBackend::syncGPUObject(*uniformTexture);
+    if (object) {
+        GLuint to = object->_texture;
+        GLuint target = object->_target;
+        glActiveTexture(GL_TEXTURE0 + slot);
+        glBindTexture(target, to);
+
+        (void) CHECK_GL_ERROR();
+
+    } else {
+        return;
+    }
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendTexture.cpp b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendTexture.cpp
index da39ab16fa..97987a401a 100755
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendTexture.cpp
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendTexture.cpp
@@ -363,6 +363,93 @@ GLBackend::GLTexture* GLBackend::syncGPUObject(const Texture& texture) {
         }
         break;
     }
+    case Texture::TEX_CUBE: {
+        if (texture.getNumSlices() == 1) {
+            GLint boundTex = -1;
+            glGetIntegerv(GL_TEXTURE_BINDING_CUBE_MAP, &boundTex);
+            glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP, object->_texture);
+            const int NUM_FACES = 6;
+            const GLenum FACE_LAYOUT[] = {
+                GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP_POSITIVE_X, GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP_NEGATIVE_X,
+                GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP_POSITIVE_Y, GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP_NEGATIVE_Y,
+                GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP_POSITIVE_Z, GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP_NEGATIVE_Z };
+
+            if (needUpdate) {
+                if (texture.isStoredMipAvailable(0)) {
+                    Texture::PixelsPointer mip = texture.accessStoredMip(0);
+                    Element srcFormat = mip->_format;
+                    GLTexelFormat texelFormat = GLTexelFormat::evalGLTexelFormat(texture.getTexelFormat(), srcFormat);
+                    
+                    uint16 width = texture.getWidth();
+                    int faceSize = mip->_sysmem.getSize() / NUM_FACES;
+
+                    glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP, object->_texture);
+                    for (int f = 0; f < NUM_FACES; f++) {
+                        glTexSubImage2D(FACE_LAYOUT[f], 0, texelFormat.internalFormat, width, width, 0,
+                            texelFormat.format, texelFormat.type, (GLvoid*) (mip->_sysmem.read<Resource::Byte>() + f * faceSize));
+                    }
+
+                    if (texture.isAutogenerateMips()) {
+                        glGenerateMipmap(GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP);
+                        glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP, GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_LINEAR);
+                    }
+
+                    object->_target = GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP;
+
+                    syncSampler(texture.getSampler(), texture.getType(), object);
+
+                    // At this point the mip piels have been loaded, we can notify
+                    texture.notifyGPULoaded(0);
+
+                    object->_contentStamp = texture.getDataStamp();
+                }
+            } else {
+                const gpu::Resource::Byte* bytes = 0;
+                Element srcFormat = texture.getTexelFormat();
+                uint16 width = texture.getWidth();
+                int faceSize = 0;
+
+                if (texture.isStoredMipAvailable(0)) {
+                    Texture::PixelsPointer mip = texture.accessStoredMip(0);
+                
+                    bytes = mip->_sysmem.read<Resource::Byte>();
+                    srcFormat = mip->_format;
+                    faceSize = mip->_sysmem.getSize() / NUM_FACES;
+
+                    object->_contentStamp = texture.getDataStamp();
+                }
+
+                GLTexelFormat texelFormat = GLTexelFormat::evalGLTexelFormat(texture.getTexelFormat(), srcFormat);
+
+                glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP, object->_texture);
+                for (int f = 0; f < NUM_FACES; f++) {
+                    glTexImage2D(FACE_LAYOUT[f], 0, texelFormat.internalFormat, width, width, 0,
+                        texelFormat.format, texelFormat.type, (GLvoid*) (bytes + f * faceSize));
+                }
+
+                if (bytes && texture.isAutogenerateMips()) {
+                    glGenerateMipmap(GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP);
+                    glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP, GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_LINEAR);
+                } else {
+                    glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP, GL_TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER, GL_NEAREST);
+                    glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP, GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL_NEAREST);
+                }
+                
+                object->_target = GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP;
+
+                syncSampler(texture.getSampler(), texture.getType(), object);
+
+                // At this point the mip piels have been loaded, we can notify
+                texture.notifyGPULoaded(0);
+
+                object->_storageStamp = texture.getStamp();
+                object->_size = texture.getSize();
+            }
+
+            glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP, boundTex);
+        }
+        break;
+    }
     default:
         qCDebug(gpulogging) << "GLBackend::syncGPUObject(const Texture&) case for Texture Type " << texture.getType() << " not supported";	
     }
@@ -449,6 +536,5 @@ void GLBackend::syncSampler(const Sampler& sampler, Texture::Type type, GLTextur
     glTexParameterf(object->_target, GL_TEXTURE_MIN_LOD, (float) sampler.getMinMip());
     glTexParameterf(object->_target, GL_TEXTURE_MAX_LOD, (sampler.getMaxMip() == Sampler::MAX_MIP_LEVEL ? 1000.f : sampler.getMaxMip()));
     glTexParameterf(object->_target, GL_TEXTURE_MAX_ANISOTROPY_EXT, sampler.getMaxAnisotropy());
-    (void) CHECK_GL_ERROR();
 
 }
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendTransform.cpp b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendTransform.cpp
index 88c993985f..d619d0afee 100755
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendTransform.cpp
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendTransform.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ void GLBackend::updateTransform() {
     // Check all the dirty flags and update the state accordingly
     if (_transform._invalidProj) {
         _transform._transformCamera._projection = _transform._projection;
+        _transform._transformCamera._projectionInverse = glm::inverse(_transform._projection);
     }
 
     if (_transform._invalidView) {
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Texture.cpp b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Texture.cpp
index f73b24411b..d4891fcf7c 100755
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Texture.cpp
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Texture.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 
 using namespace gpu;
 
+uint8 Texture::NUM_FACES_PER_TYPE[NUM_TYPES] = {1, 1, 1, 6};
+
 Texture::Pixels::Pixels(const Element& format, Size size, const Byte* bytes) :
     _sysmem(size, bytes),
     _format(format),
@@ -131,19 +133,7 @@ Texture* Texture::createFromStorage(Storage* storage) {
 }
 
 Texture::Texture():
-    Resource(),
-    _storage(),
-    _stamp(0),
-    _size(0),
-    _width(1),
-    _height(1),
-    _depth(1),
-    _numSamples(1),
-    _numSlices(1),
-    _maxMip(0),
-    _type(TEX_1D),
-    _autoGenerateMips(false),
-    _defined(false)
+    Resource()
 {
 }
 
@@ -186,10 +176,9 @@ Texture::Size Texture::resize(Type type, const Element& texelFormat, uint16 widt
             _depth = depth;
             changed = true;
         }
-
+        
         // Evaluate the new size with the new format
-        const int DIM_SIZE[] = {1, 1, 1, 6};
-        uint32_t size = DIM_SIZE[_type] *_width * _height * _depth * _numSamples * texelFormat.getSize();
+        uint32_t size = NUM_FACES_PER_TYPE[_type] *_width * _height * _depth * _numSamples * texelFormat.getSize();
 
         // If size change then we need to reset 
         if (changed || (size != getSize())) {
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Texture.h b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Texture.h
index c7f82839a0..5523f7f417 100755
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Texture.h
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Texture.h
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ public:
         TEX_2D,
         TEX_3D,
         TEX_CUBE,
+
+        NUM_TYPES,
     };
 
     static Texture* create1D(const Element& texelFormat, uint16 width, const Sampler& sampler = Sampler());
@@ -180,11 +182,19 @@ public:
     uint16 getDepth() const { return _depth; }
 
     uint32 getRowPitch() const { return getWidth() * getTexelFormat().getSize(); }
-    uint32 getNumTexels() const { return _width * _height * _depth; }
+ 
+    // The number of faces is mostly used for cube map, and maybe for stereo ? otherwise it's 1
+    // For cube maps, this means the pixels of the different faces are supposed to bepacked back to back in a mip
+    // as if the height was NUM_FACES time bigger.
+    static uint8 NUM_FACES_PER_TYPE[NUM_TYPES];
+    uint8 getNumFaces() const { return NUM_FACES_PER_TYPE[getType()]; }
+
+    uint32 getNumTexels() const { return _width * _height * _depth * getNumFaces(); }
 
     uint16 getNumSlices() const { return _numSlices; }
     uint16 getNumSamples() const { return _numSamples; }
 
+
     // NumSamples can only have certain values based on the hw
     static uint16 evalNumSamplesUsed(uint16 numSamplesTried);
 
@@ -203,7 +213,7 @@ public:
     uint16 evalMipWidth(uint16 level) const { return std::max(_width >> level, 1); }
     uint16 evalMipHeight(uint16 level) const { return std::max(_height >> level, 1); }
     uint16 evalMipDepth(uint16 level) const { return std::max(_depth >> level, 1); }
-    uint32 evalMipNumTexels(uint16 level) const { return evalMipWidth(level) * evalMipHeight(level) * evalMipDepth(level); }
+    uint32 evalMipNumTexels(uint16 level) const { return evalMipWidth(level) * evalMipHeight(level) * evalMipDepth(level) * getNumFaces(); }
     uint32 evalMipSize(uint16 level) const { return evalMipNumTexels(level) * getTexelFormat().getSize(); }
     uint32 evalStoredMipSize(uint16 level, const Element& format) const { return evalMipNumTexels(level) * format.getSize(); }
 
@@ -269,27 +279,26 @@ public:
 protected:
     std::unique_ptr< Storage > _storage;
  
-    Stamp _stamp;
+    Stamp _stamp = 0;
 
     Sampler _sampler;
     Stamp _samplerStamp;
 
-
-    uint32 _size;
+    uint32 _size = 0;
     Element _texelFormat;
 
-    uint16 _width;
-    uint16 _height;
-    uint16 _depth;
+    uint16 _width = 1;
+    uint16 _height = 1;
+    uint16 _depth = 1;
 
-    uint16 _numSamples;
-    uint16 _numSlices;
+    uint16 _numSamples = 1;
+    uint16 _numSlices = 1;
 
-    uint16 _maxMip;
+    uint16 _maxMip = 0;
  
-    Type _type;
-    bool _autoGenerateMips;
-    bool _defined;
+    Type _type = TEX_1D;
+    bool _autoGenerateMips = false;
+    bool _defined = false;
    
     static Texture* create(Type type, const Element& texelFormat, uint16 width, uint16 height, uint16 depth, uint16 numSamples, uint16 numSlices, const Sampler& sampler);
     Texture();
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Transform.slh b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Transform.slh
index 042964f0f7..a65fc7e9bd 100644
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Transform.slh
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Transform.slh
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ struct TransformCamera {
     mat4 _viewInverse;
     mat4 _projectionViewUntranslated;
     mat4 _projection;
+    mat4 _projectionInverse;
     vec4 _viewport;
 };
 
@@ -120,4 +121,22 @@ TransformCamera getTransformCamera() {
 <@endif@>
 <@endfunc@>
 
+<@func transformEyeToWorldDir(cameraTransform, eyeDir, worldDir)@>
+<@if GPU_TRANSFORM_PROFILE == GPU_CORE@>
+    { // transformEyeToWorldDir
+        <$worldDir$> = vec3(<$cameraTransform$>._viewInverse * vec4(<$eyeDir$>.xyz, 0.0));
+    }
+<@else@>
+<@endif@>
+<@endfunc@>
+
+<@func transformClipToEyeDir(cameraTransform, clipPos, eyeDir)@>
+<@if GPU_TRANSFORM_PROFILE == GPU_CORE@>
+    { // transformClipToEyedDir
+        <$eyeDir$> = vec3(<$cameraTransform$>._projectionInverse * vec4(<$clipPos$>.xyz, 1.0));
+    }
+<@else@>
+<@endif@>
+<@endfunc@>
+
 <@endif@>
diff --git a/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.cpp b/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.cpp
index 9a1addc9c7..c9b0d270fb 100755
--- a/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.cpp
+++ b/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.cpp
@@ -10,12 +10,73 @@
 //
 #include "Skybox.h"
 
+#include "gpu/Batch.h"
+#include "gpu/Context.h"
+
+#include "ViewFrustum.h"
+#include "skybox_vert.h"
+#include "skybox_frag.h"
+
 using namespace model;
 
 Skybox::Skybox() {
+
+    _cubemap.reset( gpu::Texture::createCube(gpu::Element::COLOR_RGBA_32, 1));
+    unsigned char texels[] = {
+        255, 0, 0, 255,
+        0, 255, 255, 255,
+        0, 0, 255, 255,
+        255, 255, 0, 255,
+        0, 255, 0, 255,
+        255, 0, 255, 255,
+    };
+    _cubemap->assignStoredMip(0, gpu::Element::COLOR_RGBA_32, sizeof(texels), texels); 
+}
+
+void Skybox::setColor(const Color& color) {
+    _color = color;
 }
 
 void Skybox::setCubemap(const gpu::TexturePointer& cubemap) {
     _cubemap = cubemap;
 }
 
+void Skybox::render(gpu::Batch& batch, const ViewFrustum& viewFrustum, const Skybox& skybox) {
+
+    if (skybox.getCubemap()) {
+
+        static gpu::PipelinePointer thePipeline;
+        if (!thePipeline) {
+            auto skyVS = gpu::ShaderPointer(gpu::Shader::createVertex(std::string(Skybox_vert)));
+            auto skyFS = gpu::ShaderPointer(gpu::Shader::createPixel(std::string(Skybox_frag)));
+            auto skyShader = gpu::ShaderPointer(gpu::Shader::createProgram(skyVS, skyFS));
+
+            gpu::Shader::BindingSet bindings;
+            bindings.insert(gpu::Shader::Binding(std::string("cubeMap"), 0));
+
+            if (!gpu::Shader::makeProgram(*skyShader, bindings)) {
+
+            }
+
+            auto skyState = gpu::StatePointer(new gpu::State());
+
+            thePipeline = gpu::PipelinePointer(gpu::Pipeline::create(skyShader, skyState));
+        }
+
+        glm::mat4 projMat;
+        viewFrustum.evalProjectionMatrix(projMat);
+
+        Transform viewTransform;
+        viewFrustum.evalViewTransform(viewTransform);
+
+        batch.setProjectionTransform(projMat);
+        batch.setViewTransform(viewTransform);
+        batch.setPipeline(thePipeline);
+        batch.setUniformTexture(0, skybox.getCubemap());
+        batch.draw(gpu::TRIANGLE_STRIP, 4);
+    } else {
+        // skybox has no cubemap, just clear the color buffer
+        auto color = skybox.getColor();
+        batch.clearFramebuffer(gpu::Framebuffer::BUFFER_COLOR0, glm::vec4(skybox.getColor(),1.0f), 0.f, 0); 
+    }
+}
diff --git a/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.h b/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.h
index 8a04265129..8eb910a96e 100755
--- a/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.h
+++ b/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.h
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
 
 #include "gpu/Texture.h"
 
+class ViewFrustum;
+//class Transform;
+namespace gpu { class Batch; }
+
 namespace model {
 
 typedef glm::vec3 Color;
@@ -24,14 +28,16 @@ public:
     virtual ~Skybox() {};
  
     void setColor(const Color& color);
-    const Color& getColor() { return _color; }
+    const Color& getColor() const { return _color; }
 
     void setCubemap(const gpu::TexturePointer& cubemap);
     const gpu::TexturePointer& getCubemap() const { return _cubemap; }
 
+    static void render(gpu::Batch& batch, const ViewFrustum& frustum, const Skybox& skybox);
+
 protected:
     gpu::TexturePointer _cubemap;
-    Color _color;
+    Color _color{1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f};
 };
 typedef std::shared_ptr< Skybox > SkyboxPointer;
 
diff --git a/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.slf b/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.slf
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..da9f9401bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.slf
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+<@include gpu/Config.slh@>
+<$VERSION_HEADER$>
+//  Generated on <$_SCRIBE_DATE$>
+//  skybox.frag
+//
+//  Created by Sam Gateau on 5/5/2015.
+//  Copyright 2015 High Fidelity, Inc.
+//
+//  Distributed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
+//  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
+//
+
+uniform samplerCube cubeMap;
+
+varying vec3 normal;
+varying vec2 texcoord;
+varying vec3 color;
+
+
+void main(void) {
+    vec4 texel = texture(cubeMap, normalize(normal));
+    gl_FragData[0] = texel;
+  //  gl_FragData[0] = vec4(normal, 1.0);
+}
diff --git a/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.slv b/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.slv
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..d4fe58959f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/model/src/model/Skybox.slv
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+<@include gpu/Config.slh@>
+<$VERSION_HEADER$>
+//  Generated on <$_SCRIBE_DATE$>
+//  skybox.vert
+//  vertex shader
+//
+//  Created by Sam Gateau on 5/5/2015.
+//  Copyright 2015 High Fidelity, Inc.
+//
+//  Distributed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
+//  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
+//
+
+<@include gpu/Transform.slh@>
+
+<$declareStandardTransform()$>
+
+varying vec3 normal;
+varying vec2 texcoord;
+varying vec3 color;
+
+void main(void) {
+    const float CLIP = 1.0;
+    const vec2 vertices[4] = vec2[4](vec2(-CLIP, -CLIP), vec2(CLIP, -CLIP), vec2(-CLIP, CLIP), vec2(CLIP, CLIP));
+    texcoord = vertices[gl_VertexID];
+
+    // pass along the diffuse color
+    color = vec3(texcoord, 0.0);
+
+    // standard transform
+    TransformCamera cam = getTransformCamera();
+    vec3 clipDir = vec3(texcoord.xy, 0.0);
+    vec3 eyeDir;
+    
+    <$transformClipToEyeDir(cam, clipDir, eyeDir)$>;
+    normal = normalize(eyeDir);
+    <$transformEyeToWorldDir(cam, eyeDir, normal)$>;
+    normal = normalize(normal);
+
+    // Position is supposed to cmoe in clip space
+    gl_Position = vec4(texcoord.xy, 0.0, 1.0);
+}
diff --git a/libraries/model/src/model/Stage.cpp b/libraries/model/src/model/Stage.cpp
index 453bc0c154..2e579d3618 100644
--- a/libraries/model/src/model/Stage.cpp
+++ b/libraries/model/src/model/Stage.cpp
@@ -215,6 +215,10 @@ SunSkyStage::SunSkyStage() :
 
     _skyPipeline = gpu::PipelinePointer(gpu::Pipeline::create(skyShader, skyState));
 
+
+    _skybox.reset(new Skybox());
+    _skybox->setColor(Color(1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f));
+
 }
 
 SunSkyStage::~SunSkyStage() {
diff --git a/libraries/model/src/model/Stage.h b/libraries/model/src/model/Stage.h
index b28c20fc65..d22269bece 100644
--- a/libraries/model/src/model/Stage.h
+++ b/libraries/model/src/model/Stage.h
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ public:
     const SkyboxPointer& getSkybox() const { valid(); return _skybox; }
 
 protected:
-    BackgroundMode _backgroundMode = SKY_DOME;
+    BackgroundMode _backgroundMode = SKY_BOX;
 
     LightPointer _sunLight;
     AtmospherePointer _atmosphere;
diff --git a/libraries/octree/src/ViewFrustum.cpp b/libraries/octree/src/ViewFrustum.cpp
index b18b2fcb3e..11ed24799d 100644
--- a/libraries/octree/src/ViewFrustum.cpp
+++ b/libraries/octree/src/ViewFrustum.cpp
@@ -862,3 +862,7 @@ void ViewFrustum::evalProjectionMatrix(glm::mat4& proj) const {
     }
 }
 
+void ViewFrustum::evalViewTransform(Transform& view) const {
+    view.setTranslation(getPosition());
+    view.setRotation(getOrientation());
+}
diff --git a/libraries/octree/src/ViewFrustum.h b/libraries/octree/src/ViewFrustum.h
index 3c8639d215..dfb0dcb308 100644
--- a/libraries/octree/src/ViewFrustum.h
+++ b/libraries/octree/src/ViewFrustum.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <GLMHelpers.h>
 #include <RegisteredMetaTypes.h>
 
+#include "Transform.h"
 #include "AABox.h"
 #include "AACube.h"
 #include "Plane.h"
@@ -121,6 +122,8 @@ public:
     float distanceToCamera(const glm::vec3& point) const;
     
     void evalProjectionMatrix(glm::mat4& proj) const;
+    void evalViewTransform(Transform& view) const;
+
 private:
     // Used for keyhole calculations
     ViewFrustum::location pointInKeyhole(const glm::vec3& point) const;