diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index aa81b5e..f32d70e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
     "start": "next start",
     "lint": "next lint",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
-    "test": "node --test tests/bootstrap.test.mjs && node --import tsx --test tests/lib/parser.test.ts && node --import tsx --test tests/lib/pathing.test.ts && node --import tsx --test tests/lib/kanban.test.ts && node --import tsx --test tests/lib/read-issues.test.ts && node --test tests/guards/no-direct-jsonl-write.test.mjs && node --test tests/guards/no-inline-style-in-kanban.test.mjs && node --test tests/guards/kanban-responsive-contract.test.mjs"
+    "test": "node --test tests/bootstrap.test.mjs && node --import tsx --test tests/lib/parser.test.ts && node --import tsx --test tests/lib/pathing.test.ts && node --import tsx --test tests/lib/project-context.test.ts && node --import tsx --test tests/lib/kanban.test.ts && node --import tsx --test tests/lib/read-issues.test.ts && node --test tests/guards/no-direct-jsonl-write.test.mjs && node --test tests/guards/no-inline-style-in-kanban.test.mjs && node --test tests/guards/kanban-responsive-contract.test.mjs"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "framer-motion": "^11.18.2",
diff --git a/src/lib/project-context.ts b/src/lib/project-context.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0e885c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/project-context.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import path from 'node:path';
+
+import { canonicalizeWindowsPath, toDisplayPath, windowsPathKey } from './pathing';
+import type { ProjectContext, ProjectSource } from './types';
+
+interface BuildProjectContextOptions {
+  source?: ProjectSource;
+  addedAt?: string | null;
+}
+
+export function buildProjectContext(root: string, options: BuildProjectContextOptions = {}): ProjectContext {
+  if (!root) {
+    throw new Error('Project root is required to build project context.');
+  }
+
+  const normalizedRoot = canonicalizeWindowsPath(root);
+  return {
+    key: windowsPathKey(normalizedRoot),
+    root: normalizedRoot,
+    displayPath: toDisplayPath(normalizedRoot),
+    name: path.basename(normalizedRoot),
+    source: options.source ?? 'local',
+    addedAt: options.addedAt ?? null,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/types.ts b/src/lib/types.ts
index 06f2567..46a9d4f 100644
--- a/src/lib/types.ts
+++ b/src/lib/types.ts
@@ -59,3 +59,16 @@ export interface ParseableBeadIssue extends Partial<BeadIssue> {
   id: string;
   title: string;
 }
+
+export type ProjectSource = 'local' | 'registry' | 'scanner';
+
+export interface ProjectContext {
+  key: string;
+  root: string;
+  displayPath: string;
+  name: string;
+  source: ProjectSource;
+  addedAt: string | null;
+}
+
+export type BeadIssueWithProject = BeadIssue & { project: ProjectContext };
diff --git a/tests/lib/project-context.test.ts b/tests/lib/project-context.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ecd3c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lib/project-context.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import test from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+
+import { buildProjectContext } from '../../src/lib/project-context';
+
+test('buildProjectContext derives normalized project identity', () => {
+  const project = buildProjectContext('C:/Repo/Project');
+
+  assert.equal(project.root, 'C:\\Repo\\Project');
+  assert.equal(project.key, 'c:\\repo\\project');
+  assert.equal(project.displayPath, 'C:/Repo/Project');
+  assert.equal(project.name, 'Project');
+  assert.equal(project.source, 'local');
+  assert.equal(project.addedAt, null);
+});