diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/imx53_qsb/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/imx53_qsb/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16c61114d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/imx53_qsb/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v7a
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/imx53_qsb_tz/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/imx53_qsb_tz/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16c61114d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/imx53_qsb_tz/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v7a
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/imx6q_sabrelite/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/imx6q_sabrelite/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16c61114d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/imx6q_sabrelite/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v7a
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/imx7d_sabre/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/imx7d_sabre/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16c61114d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/imx7d_sabre/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v7a
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/imx8q_evk/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/imx8q_evk/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ae398b9a2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/imx8q_evk/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v8a
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/nit6_solox/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/nit6_solox/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16c61114d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/nit6_solox/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v7a
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/pbxa9/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/pbxa9/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16c61114d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/pbxa9/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v7a
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/pc/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/pc/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1c09346681
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/pc/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+x86_64
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/riscv_qemu/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/riscv_qemu/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d569162349
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/riscv_qemu/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+riscv
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/rpi/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/rpi/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..45d74d270a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/rpi/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v6
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/rpi3/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/rpi3/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ae398b9a2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/rpi3/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v8a
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/usb_armory/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/usb_armory/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16c61114d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/usb_armory/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v7a
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/virt_qemu/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/virt_qemu/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16c61114d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/virt_qemu/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v7a
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/wand_quad/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/wand_quad/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16c61114d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/wand_quad/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v7a
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/board/zynq_qemu/arch b/repos/base-hw/board/zynq_qemu/arch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16c61114d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/base-hw/board/zynq_qemu/arch
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+arm_v7a
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx53_qsb/content.mk b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx53_qsb/content.mk
index aafceac37d..31319dcaf1 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx53_qsb/content.mk
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx53_qsb/content.mk
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-BOARD = imx53_qsb
-
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx53_qsb_tz/content.mk b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx53_qsb_tz/content.mk
index df38abb77d..cf571d6154 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx53_qsb_tz/content.mk
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx53_qsb_tz/content.mk
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
-BOARD = imx53_qsb_tz
+CONTENT += src/core/board/imx53_qsb \
+           src/bootstrap/board/imx53_qsb
 
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx6q_sabrelite/content.mk b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx6q_sabrelite/content.mk
index 94c7c8e2fd..31319dcaf1 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx6q_sabrelite/content.mk
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx6q_sabrelite/content.mk
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-BOARD = imx6q_sabrelite
-
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx7d_sabre/content.mk b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx7d_sabre/content.mk
index 135981d663..31319dcaf1 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx7d_sabre/content.mk
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx7d_sabre/content.mk
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-BOARD = imx7d_sabre
-
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx8q_evk/content.mk b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx8q_evk/content.mk
index 6ddaf5c86e..31319dcaf1 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx8q_evk/content.mk
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-imx8q_evk/content.mk
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-BOARD = imx8q_evk
-
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-nit6_solox/content.mk b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-nit6_solox/content.mk
index dc41e99cb9..31319dcaf1 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-nit6_solox/content.mk
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-nit6_solox/content.mk
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-BOARD = nit6_solox
-
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-pbxa9/content.mk b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-pbxa9/content.mk
index cf81fc0781..31319dcaf1 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-pbxa9/content.mk
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-pbxa9/content.mk
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-BOARD = pbxa9
-
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-pc/content.mk b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-pc/content.mk
index aa6d5cb166..31319dcaf1 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-pc/content.mk
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-pc/content.mk
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-BOARD = pc
-
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-rpi/content.mk b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-rpi/content.mk
index 58bf77b875..31319dcaf1 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-rpi/content.mk
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-rpi/content.mk
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-BOARD = rpi
-
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-rpi3/content.mk b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-rpi3/content.mk
index c587367a88..31319dcaf1 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-rpi3/content.mk
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-rpi3/content.mk
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-BOARD = rpi3
-
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-virt_qemu/content.mk b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-virt_qemu/content.mk
index a09b73090b..31319dcaf1 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-virt_qemu/content.mk
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-virt_qemu/content.mk
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-BOARD = virt_qemu
-
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-zynq_qemu/content.mk b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-zynq_qemu/content.mk
index 6f4158d13e..31319dcaf1 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-zynq_qemu/content.mk
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw-zynq_qemu/content.mk
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-BOARD = zynq_qemu
-
 include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
index 0883e66219..b817a10597 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
+++ b/repos/base-hw/recipes/src/base-hw_content.inc
@@ -1,19 +1,182 @@
-include $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base/recipes/src/base_content.inc
+#
+# Before including this file, the CONTENT variable may contain a list of
+# repository-relative paths of content to include in the src archive in
+# addition to the default content inferred for the given board.
+#
 
-content: src/bootstrap
 
-src/bootstrap:
+#
+# Determine board name from the path to the src recipe's content.mk file
+#
+
+# obtain directory name of src recipe w/o trailing slash
+_BOARD := $(CONTENT_MK:/content.mk=)
+
+# strip all leading path elements, keeping only the src-recipe name
+_BOARD := $(notdir $(_BOARD))
+
+# remove "base-hw-" part of the src-recipe name, keeping only the board name
+BOARD := $(patsubst base-hw-%,%,$(_BOARD))
+
+
+#
+# Selection of ARCH-specific subdirectories and files
+#
+
+LIB_MK_SPECS(arm_v6)  := arm arm_v6
+LIB_MK_SPECS(arm_v7a) := arm arm_v7 cortex_a8 cortex_a9 cortex_a15
+LIB_MK_SPECS(arm_v8a) := arm_64 arm_v8
+LIB_MK_SPECS(x86_64)  := x86_64
+LIB_MK_SPECS(riscv)   := riscv
+
+SRC_BOOTSTRAP_SPECS(arm_v6)  := arm
+SRC_BOOTSTRAP_SPECS(arm_v7a) := arm
+SRC_BOOTSTRAP_SPECS(arm_v8a) := arm_64 arm
+SRC_BOOTSTRAP_SPECS(x86_64)  := x86_64
+SRC_BOOTSTRAP_SPECS(riscv)   := riscv
+
+SRC_CORE_SPECS(arm_v6)  := arm arm_v6
+SRC_CORE_SPECS(arm_v7a) := arm arm_v7 cortex_a8 cortex_a9 cortex_a15
+SRC_CORE_SPECS(arm_v8a) := arm arm_v8
+SRC_CORE_SPECS(x86_64)  := x86 x86_64
+SRC_CORE_SPECS(riscv)   := riscv
+
+SRC_INCLUDE_HW_SPECS(arm_v6)  := arm
+SRC_INCLUDE_HW_SPECS(arm_v7a) := arm
+SRC_INCLUDE_HW_SPECS(arm_v8a) := arm arm_64
+SRC_INCLUDE_HW_SPECS(x86_64)  := x86_64
+SRC_INCLUDE_HW_SPECS(riscv)   := riscv
+
+SRC_LIB_BASE_SPECS(arm_v6)  := arm
+SRC_LIB_BASE_SPECS(arm_v7a) := arm
+SRC_LIB_BASE_SPECS(arm_v8a) := arm_64
+SRC_LIB_BASE_SPECS(x86_64)  := x86_64
+SRC_LIB_BASE_SPECS(riscv)   := riscv
+
+SRC_LIB_STARTUP_SPECS(arm_v6)  := arm
+SRC_LIB_STARTUP_SPECS(arm_v7a) := arm
+SRC_LIB_STARTUP_SPECS(arm_v8a) := arm_64
+SRC_LIB_STARTUP_SPECS(x86_64)  := x86_64
+SRC_LIB_STARTUP_SPECS(riscv)   := riscv
+
+# location of hw-ld.mk file
+LD_MK_DIR(arm_v6)  := lib/mk/spec/arm
+LD_MK_DIR(arm_v7a) := lib/mk/spec/arm
+LD_MK_DIR(arm_v8a) := lib/mk/spec/arm_v8
+LD_MK_DIR(x86_64)  := lib/mk/spec/x86_64
+LD_MK_DIR(riscv)   := lib/mk/spec/riscv
+
+
+#
+# Defermine CPU architecture for the given BOARD
+#
+
+BOARD_ARCH_PATH := $(REP_DIR)/board/$(BOARD)/arch
+
+ifeq ($(wildcard $(BOARD_ARCH_PATH)),)
+content: arch_undefined
+arch_undefined:
+	echo -n "\nError: CPU architecure for board $(BOARD) undefined\n\n" \
+	        " missing file $(BOARD_ARCH_PATH)\n\n"
+	false
+else
+ARCH := $(firstword $(shell cat $(BOARD_ARCH_PATH)))
+endif
+
+
+#
+# Enumeration of package content
+#
+
+BASE_DIR    := $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base
+BASE_HW_DIR := $(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw
+
+SRC_TIMER := target.inc include hw main.cc
+
+SRC_INCLUDE_HW += $(notdir $(wildcard $(BASE_HW_DIR)/src/include/hw/*.h)) \
+                  $(addprefix spec/,${SRC_INCLUDE_HW_SPECS(${ARCH})}) \
+                  uart
+
+SRC_BOOTSTRAP += hw env.cc init.cc lock.cc log.cc thread.cc \
+                 platform.cc platform.h \
+                 $(addprefix spec/,${SRC_BOOTSTRAP_SPECS(${ARCH})}) \
+                 $(addprefix board/,$(BOARD))
+
+SRC_LIB_BASE += $(notdir $(wildcard $(BASE_HW_DIR)/src/lib/base/*.cc)) \
+                $(notdir $(wildcard $(BASE_DIR)/src/lib/base/*.cc)) \
+                ${SRC_LIB_BASE_SPECS(${ARCH})}
+
+SRC_LIB_STARTUP += init_main_thread.cc _main.cc \
+                   $(addprefix spec/,${SRC_LIB_STARTUP_SPECS(${ARCH})})
+
+SRC_CORE += $(notdir $(wildcard $(BASE_HW_DIR)/src/core/*.cc)) \
+            $(notdir $(wildcard $(BASE_HW_DIR)/src/core/*.h)) \
+            $(notdir $(wildcard $(BASE_DIR)/src/core/*.cc)) \
+            $(addprefix spec/,${SRC_CORE_SPECS(${ARCH})}) \
+            $(addprefix board/,$(BOARD)) \
+            version.inc target.inc include hw kernel
+
+LIB_MK := base-hw-common.mk base-hw.mk bootstrap-hw.inc core-hw.inc \
+          timeout-hw.mk cxx.mk base.inc base-common.inc startup.inc \
+          $(addprefix spec/,${LIB_MK_SPECS(${ARCH})})
+
+CONTENT += $(addprefix src/timer/,$(SRC_TIMER)) \
+           $(addprefix src/include/hw/,$(SRC_INCLUDE_HW)) \
+           $(addprefix src/bootstrap/,$(SRC_BOOTSTRAP)) \
+           $(addprefix lib/mk/,$(LIB_MK)) \
+           $(addprefix src/lib/base/,$(SRC_LIB_BASE)) \
+           $(addprefix src/lib/startup/,$(SRC_LIB_STARTUP)) \
+           $(addprefix src/core/,$(SRC_CORE)) \
+           src/lib/hw src/lib/ld src/lib/cxx \
+           src/include/base/internal src/include/pager \
+           include/drivers/uart
+
+# remove duplicates
+CONTENT := $(sort $(CONTENT))
+
+
+#
+# Utilities to aggregate content from base, base-hw, and rep directories
+#
+
+_try_mirror_from = $(if $(wildcard $1/$2),mkdir -p $(dir $2); cp -r $1/$2 $(dir $2))
+
+mirror_from_base_dir    = $(call _try_mirror_from,$(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base,$@)
+mirror_from_base_hw_dir = $(call _try_mirror_from,$(GENODE_DIR)/repos/base-hw,$@)
+mirror_from_rep_dir     = $(call _try_mirror_from,$(REP_DIR),$@)
+
+
+#
+# Rules
+#
+
+content: $(CONTENT)
+
+$(CONTENT):
+	$(mirror_from_base_dir)
+	$(mirror_from_base_hw_dir)
 	$(mirror_from_rep_dir)
 
-content: generalize_target_names remove_other_board_libs
+content: LICENSE
+LICENSE:
+	cp $(GENODE_DIR)/LICENSE $@
 
-generalize_target_names: lib/mk src/lib src/timer
-	for spec in arm riscv x86_64; do \
-	  mv lib/mk/spec/$$spec/ld-hw.mk lib/mk/spec/$$spec/ld.mk; \
-	  done;
+content: etc/specs.conf
+etc/specs.conf:
+	$(mirror_from_base_hw_dir)
+
+content: generalize_target_names
+generalize_target_names: $(CONTENT)
+	# apply kernel-agnostic convention of naming the timer and ld.lib.so
+	mv ${LD_MK_DIR(${ARCH})}/ld-hw.mk ${LD_MK_DIR(${ARCH})}/ld.mk
 	sed -i "s/ld-hw/ld/"           src/lib/ld/hw/target.mk
 	sed -i "s/hw_timer_drv/timer/" src/timer/hw/target.mk
+	# supplement BOARD definition that normally comes form the build dir
+	sed -i "s/\?= unknown/:= $(BOARD)/" src/core/hw/target.mk
+	sed -i "s/\?= unknown/:= $(BOARD)/" src/bootstrap/hw/target.mk
+	# discharge targets when building for mismatching architecture
+	sed -i "1aREQUIRES := $(ARCH)"      src/core/hw/target.mk
+	sed -i "1aREQUIRES     := $(ARCH)"  src/bootstrap/hw/target.mk
+	sed -i "/REQUIRES/s/hw/hw $(ARCH)/" src/timer/hw/target.mk
+	sed -i "1aREQUIRES := $(ARCH)"      src/lib/ld/hw/target.mk
 
-remove_other_board_libs: lib/mk
-	find lib/mk/spec -name core-hw-*.mk -o -name bootstrap-hw-*.mk |\
-		grep -v "hw-$(BOARD).mk" | xargs rm -rf