diff --git a/modules/core/src/application.js b/modules/core/src/application.js
index 9eba479b38..2c0ab60192 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/application.js
+++ b/modules/core/src/application.js
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ export function documentDependentBindings(appComponentType) {
           // The light Dom of the app element is not considered part of
           // the angular application. Thus the context and lightDomInjector are
           // empty.
-          var view = appProtoView.instantiate(null, true);
+          var view = appProtoView.instantiate(null);
           view.hydrate(injector, null, new Object());
           return view;
         });
diff --git a/modules/core/src/compiler/pipeline/element_binder_builder.js b/modules/core/src/compiler/pipeline/element_binder_builder.js
index 829f6aa6ac..6b657cd7bd 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/compiler/pipeline/element_binder_builder.js
+++ b/modules/core/src/compiler/pipeline/element_binder_builder.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import {int, isPresent, isBlank, Type, BaseException, stringify} from 'facade/lang';
-import {Element} from 'facade/dom';
+import {Element, DOM} from 'facade/dom';
 import {ListWrapper, List, MapWrapper, StringMapWrapper} from 'facade/collection';
 
 import {reflector} from 'reflection/reflection';
@@ -74,7 +74,9 @@ export class ElementBinderBuilder extends CompileStep {
 
   _bindElementProperties(protoView, compileElement) {
     MapWrapper.forEach(compileElement.propertyBindings, (expression, property) => {
-      protoView.bindElementProperty(property,  expression);
+      if (DOM.hasProperty(compileElement.element, property)) {
+        protoView.bindElementProperty(expression.ast, property, reflector.setter(property));
+      }
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/modules/core/src/compiler/view.js b/modules/core/src/compiler/view.js
index 3c6ab14f50..40bbb56dae 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/compiler/view.js
+++ b/modules/core/src/compiler/view.js
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ import {OnChange} from './interfaces';
 import {ContextWithVariableBindings} from 'change_detection/parser/context_with_variable_bindings';
 
 const NG_BINDING_CLASS = 'ng-binding';
+const NG_BINDING_CLASS_SELECTOR = '.ng-binding';
+// TODO(tbosch): Cannot use `const` because of Dart.
+var NO_FORMATTERS = MapWrapper.create();
 
 /**
  * Const of making objects: http://jsperf.com/instantiate-size-of-object
@@ -36,34 +39,36 @@ export class View {
   preBuiltObjects: List<PreBuiltObjects>;
   proto: ProtoView;
   context: Object;
-  _localBindings: Map;
-  constructor(proto:ProtoView, nodes:List<Node>, elementInjectors:List,
-      rootElementInjectors:List, textNodes:List, bindElements:List,
-      protoRecordRange:ProtoRecordRange) {
+  contextWithLocals:ContextWithVariableBindings;
+  constructor(proto:ProtoView, nodes:List<Node>, protoRecordRange:ProtoRecordRange, protoContextLocals:Map) {
     this.proto = proto;
     this.nodes = nodes;
-    this.elementInjectors = elementInjectors;
-    this.rootElementInjectors = rootElementInjectors;
-    this.textNodes = textNodes;
-    this.bindElements = bindElements;
-    this.recordRange = protoRecordRange.instantiate(this, MapWrapper.create());
+    this.recordRange = protoRecordRange.instantiate(this, NO_FORMATTERS);
+    this.elementInjectors = null;
+    this.rootElementInjectors = null;
+    this.textNodes = null;
+    this.bindElements = null;
     this.componentChildViews = null;
     this.viewPorts = null;
     this.preBuiltObjects = null;
     this.context = null;
 
-    // used to persist the locals part of context inbetween hydrations.
-    this._localBindings = null;
-    if (isPresent(this.proto) && MapWrapper.size(this.proto.variableBindings) > 0) {
-      this._createLocalContext();
+    // contextWithLocals
+    if (MapWrapper.size(protoContextLocals) > 0) {
+      this.contextWithLocals = new ContextWithVariableBindings(null, MapWrapper.clone(protoContextLocals));
+    } else {
+      this.contextWithLocals = null;
     }
   }
 
-  _createLocalContext() {
-    this._localBindings = MapWrapper.create();
-    for (var [ctxName, tmplName] of MapWrapper.iterable(this.proto.variableBindings)) {
-      MapWrapper.set(this._localBindings, tmplName, null);
-    }
+  init(elementInjectors:List, rootElementInjectors:List, textNodes: List, bindElements:List, viewPorts:List, preBuiltObjects:List, componentChildViews:List) {
+    this.elementInjectors = elementInjectors;
+    this.rootElementInjectors = rootElementInjectors;
+    this.textNodes = textNodes;
+    this.bindElements = bindElements;
+    this.viewPorts = viewPorts;
+    this.preBuiltObjects = preBuiltObjects;
+    this.componentChildViews = componentChildViews;
   }
 
   setLocal(contextName: string, value) {
@@ -81,16 +86,21 @@ export class View {
   }
 
   _hydrateContext(newContext) {
-    if (isPresent(this._localBindings)) {
-      newContext = new ContextWithVariableBindings(newContext, this._localBindings);
+    if (isPresent(this.contextWithLocals)) {
+      this.contextWithLocals.parent = newContext;
+      this.context = this.contextWithLocals;
+    } else {
+      this.context = newContext;
     }
-    this.recordRange.setContext(newContext);
-    this.context = newContext;
+    // TODO(tbosch): if we have a contextWithLocals we actually only need to
+    // set the contextWithLocals once. Would it be faster to always use a contextWithLocals
+    // even if we don't have locals and not update the recordRange here?
+    this.recordRange.setContext(this.context);
   }
 
   _dehydrateContext() {
-    if (isPresent(this._localBindings)) {
-      this.context.clearValues();
+    if (isPresent(this.contextWithLocals)) {
+      this.contextWithLocals.clearValues();
     }
     this.context = null;
   }
@@ -113,54 +123,67 @@ export class View {
    */
   hydrate(appInjector: Injector, hostElementInjector: ElementInjector,
       context: Object) {
-    if (isBlank(this.preBuiltObjects)) {
-      throw new BaseException('Cannot hydrate a view without pre-built objects.');
-    }
+    if (this.hydrated()) throw new BaseException('The view is already hydrated.');
     this._hydrateContext(context);
 
-    var shadowDomAppInjectors = View._createShadowDomInjectors(
-        this.proto, appInjector);
+    // viewPorts
+    for (var i = 0; i < this.viewPorts.length; i++) {
+      this.viewPorts[i].hydrate(appInjector, hostElementInjector);
+    }
 
-    this._hydrateViewPorts(appInjector, hostElementInjector);
-    this._instantiateDirectives(appInjector, shadowDomAppInjectors);
-    this._hydrateChildComponentViews(appInjector, shadowDomAppInjectors);
+    var binders = this.proto.elementBinders;
+    var componentChildViewIndex = 0;
+    for (var i = 0; i < binders.length; ++i) {
+      var componentDirective = binders[i].componentDirective;
+      var shadowDomAppInjector = null;
+
+      // shadowDomAppInjector
+      if (isPresent(componentDirective)) {
+        var services = componentDirective.annotation.componentServices;
+        if (isPresent(services))
+          shadowDomAppInjector = appInjector.createChild(services);
+        else {
+          shadowDomAppInjector = appInjector;
+        }
+      } else {
+        shadowDomAppInjector = null;
+      }
+
+      // elementInjectors
+      var elementInjector = this.elementInjectors[i];
+      if (isPresent(elementInjector)) {
+        elementInjector.instantiateDirectives(appInjector, shadowDomAppInjector, this.preBuiltObjects[i]);
+      }
+
+      // componentChildViews
+      if (isPresent(shadowDomAppInjector)) {
+        this.componentChildViews[componentChildViewIndex++].hydrate(shadowDomAppInjector,
+            elementInjector, elementInjector.getComponent());
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   dehydrate() {
-    // preserve the opposite order of the hydration process.
-    if (isPresent(this.componentChildViews)) {
-      for (var i = 0; i < this.componentChildViews.length; i++) {
-        this.componentChildViews[i].dehydrate();
-      }
+    // Note: preserve the opposite order of the hydration process.
+
+    // componentChildViews
+    for (var i = 0; i < this.componentChildViews.length; i++) {
+      this.componentChildViews[i].dehydrate();
     }
+
+    // elementInjectors
     for (var i = 0; i < this.elementInjectors.length; i++) {
       this.elementInjectors[i].clearDirectives();
     }
+
+    // viewPorts
     if (isPresent(this.viewPorts)) {
       for (var i = 0; i < this.viewPorts.length; i++) {
         this.viewPorts[i].dehydrate();
       }
     }
-    this._dehydrateContext();
-  }
 
-  static _createShadowDomInjectors(protoView, defaultInjector) {
-    var binders = protoView.elementBinders;
-    var shadowDomAppInjectors = ListWrapper.createFixedSize(binders.length);
-    for (var i = 0; i < binders.length; ++i) {
-      var componentDirective = binders[i].componentDirective;
-      if (isPresent(componentDirective)) {
-        var services = componentDirective.annotation.componentServices;
-        if (isPresent(services))
-          shadowDomAppInjectors[i] = defaultInjector.createChild(services);
-        else {
-          shadowDomAppInjectors[i] = defaultInjector;
-        }
-      } else {
-        shadowDomAppInjectors[i] = null;
-      }
-    }
-    return shadowDomAppInjectors;
+    this._dehydrateContext();
   }
 
   onRecordChange(groupMemento, records:List<Record>) {
@@ -211,48 +234,6 @@ export class View {
     }
     return changes;
   }
-
-  addViewPort(viewPort: ViewPort) {
-    if (isBlank(this.viewPorts)) this.viewPorts = [];
-    ListWrapper.push(this.viewPorts, viewPort);
-  }
-
-  addComponentChildView(childView: View) {
-    if (isBlank(this.componentChildViews)) this.componentChildViews = [];
-    ListWrapper.push(this.componentChildViews, childView);
-    this.recordRange.addRange(childView.recordRange);
-  }
-
-  _instantiateDirectives(
-      lightDomAppInjector: Injector, shadowDomAppInjectors) {
-    for (var i = 0; i < this.elementInjectors.length; ++i) {
-      var injector = this.elementInjectors[i];
-      if (injector != null) {
-        injector.instantiateDirectives(
-          lightDomAppInjector, shadowDomAppInjectors[i], this.preBuiltObjects[i]);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  _hydrateViewPorts(appInjector, hostElementInjector) {
-    if (isBlank(this.viewPorts)) return;
-    for (var i = 0; i < this.viewPorts.length; i++) {
-      this.viewPorts[i].hydrate(appInjector, hostElementInjector);
-    }
-  }
-
-  _hydrateChildComponentViews(appInjector, shadowDomAppInjectors) {
-    var count = 0;
-    for (var i = 0; i < shadowDomAppInjectors.length; i++) {
-      var shadowDomInjector = shadowDomAppInjectors[i];
-      var injector = this.elementInjectors[i];
-      // replace with protoView.binder.
-      if (isPresent(shadowDomAppInjectors[i])) {
-        this.componentChildViews[count++].hydrate(shadowDomInjector,
-            injector, injector.getComponent());
-      }
-    }
-  }
 }
 
 export class ProtoView {
@@ -260,64 +241,129 @@ export class ProtoView {
   elementBinders:List<ElementBinder>;
   protoRecordRange:ProtoRecordRange;
   variableBindings: Map;
+  protoContextLocals:Map;
   textNodesWithBindingCount:int;
   elementsWithBindingCount:int;
+  instantiateInPlace:boolean;
+  rootBindingOffset:int;
+  isTemplateElement:boolean;
   constructor(
       template:Element,
       protoRecordRange:ProtoRecordRange) {
     this.element = template;
     this.elementBinders = [];
     this.variableBindings = MapWrapper.create();
+    this.protoContextLocals = MapWrapper.create();
     this.protoRecordRange = protoRecordRange;
     this.textNodesWithBindingCount = 0;
     this.elementsWithBindingCount = 0;
+    this.instantiateInPlace = false;
+    if (isPresent(this.element) && DOM.hasClass(this.element, NG_BINDING_CLASS)) {
+      this.rootBindingOffset = 1;
+    } else {
+      this.rootBindingOffset = 0;
+    }
+    this.isTemplateElement = this.element instanceof TemplateElement;
   }
 
   // TODO(rado): hostElementInjector should be moved to hydrate phase.
-  // TODO(rado): inPlace is only used for bootstrapping, invastigate whether we can bootstrap without
-  // rootProtoView.
-  instantiate(hostElementInjector: ElementInjector, inPlace:boolean = false):View {
-    var clone = inPlace ? this.element : DOM.clone(this.element);
-    var elements;
-    if (clone instanceof TemplateElement) {
-      elements = ListWrapper.clone(DOM.querySelectorAll(clone.content, `.${NG_BINDING_CLASS}`));
+  instantiate(hostElementInjector: ElementInjector):View {
+    var rootElementClone = this.instantiateInPlace ? this.element : DOM.clone(this.element);
+    var elementsWithBindings;
+    if (this.isTemplateElement) {
+      elementsWithBindings = DOM.querySelectorAll(rootElementClone.content, NG_BINDING_CLASS_SELECTOR);
     } else {
-      elements = ListWrapper.clone(DOM.getElementsByClassName(clone, NG_BINDING_CLASS));
+      elementsWithBindings = DOM.getElementsByClassName(rootElementClone, NG_BINDING_CLASS);
     }
-    if (DOM.hasClass(clone, NG_BINDING_CLASS)) {
-      ListWrapper.insert(elements, 0, clone);
-    }
-    var binders = this.elementBinders;
-
-    /**
-     * TODO: vsavkin: benchmark
-     * If this performs poorly, the seven loops can be collapsed into one.
-     */
-    var elementInjectors = ProtoView._createElementInjectors(elements, binders, hostElementInjector);
-    var rootElementInjectors = ProtoView._rootElementInjectors(elementInjectors);
-    var textNodes = ProtoView._textNodes(elements, binders);
-    var bindElements = ProtoView._bindElements(elements, binders);
-
     var viewNodes;
-
-    if (clone instanceof TemplateElement) {
-      viewNodes = ListWrapper.clone(clone.content.childNodes);
+    if (this.isTemplateElement) {
+      var childNodes = rootElementClone.content.childNodes;
+      // Note: An explicit loop is the fastes way to convert a DOM array into a JS array!
+      viewNodes = ListWrapper.createFixedSize(childNodes.length);
+      for (var i=0; i<childNodes.length; i++) {
+        viewNodes[i] = childNodes[i];
+      }
     } else {
-      viewNodes = [clone];
+      viewNodes = [rootElementClone];
     }
-    var view = new View(this, viewNodes, elementInjectors, rootElementInjectors, textNodes,
-        bindElements, this.protoRecordRange);
+    var view = new View(this, viewNodes, this.protoRecordRange, this.protoContextLocals);
 
-    view.preBuiltObjects = ProtoView._createPreBuiltObjects(view, elementInjectors, elements, binders);
+    var binders = this.elementBinders;
+    var elementInjectors = ListWrapper.createFixedSize(binders.length);
+    var rootElementInjectors = [];
+    var textNodes = [];
+    var elementsWithPropertyBindings = [];
+    var preBuiltObjects = ListWrapper.createFixedSize(binders.length);
+    var viewPorts = [];
+    var componentChildViews = [];
 
-    ProtoView._instantiateChildComponentViews(view, elements, binders,
-        elementInjectors);
+    for (var i = 0; i < binders.length; i++) {
+      var binder = binders[i];
+      var element;
+      if (i === 0 && this.rootBindingOffset === 1) {
+        element = rootElementClone;
+      } else {
+        element = elementsWithBindings[i - this.rootBindingOffset];
+      }
+      var elementInjector = null;
+
+      // elementInjectors and rootElementInjectors
+      var protoElementInjector = binder.protoElementInjector;
+      if (isPresent(protoElementInjector)) {
+        var parentElementInjector = isPresent(protoElementInjector.parent) ? elementInjectors[protoElementInjector.parent.index] : null;
+        elementInjector = protoElementInjector.instantiate(parentElementInjector, hostElementInjector);
+        if (isBlank(parentElementInjector)) {
+          ListWrapper.push(rootElementInjectors, elementInjector);
+        }
+      }
+      elementInjectors[i] = elementInjector;
+
+      // viewPorts
+      var viewPort = null;
+      if (isPresent(binder.templateDirective)) {
+        viewPort = new ViewPort(view, element, binder.nestedProtoView, elementInjector);
+        ListWrapper.push(viewPorts, viewPort);
+      }
+
+      // preBuiltObjects
+      var preBuiltObject = null;
+      if (isPresent(elementInjector)) {
+        preBuiltObject = new PreBuiltObjects(view, new NgElement(element), viewPort);
+      }
+      preBuiltObjects[i] = preBuiltObject;
+
+      // elementsWithPropertyBindings
+      if (binder.hasElementPropertyBindings) {
+        ListWrapper.push(elementsWithPropertyBindings, element);
+      }
+
+      // textNodes
+      var textNodeIndices = binder.textNodeIndices;
+      if (isPresent(textNodeIndices)) {
+        var childNodes = DOM.templateAwareRoot(element).childNodes;
+        for (var j = 0; j < textNodeIndices.length; j++) {
+          ListWrapper.push(textNodes, childNodes[textNodeIndices[j]]);
+        }
+      }
+
+      // componentChildViews
+      if (isPresent(binder.componentDirective)) {
+        var childView = binder.nestedProtoView.instantiate(elementInjector);
+        view.recordRange.addRange(childView.recordRange);
+        ViewPort.moveViewNodesIntoParent(element.createShadowRoot(), childView);
+        ListWrapper.push(componentChildViews, childView);
+      }
+    }
+
+    view.init(elementInjectors, rootElementInjectors, textNodes, elementsWithPropertyBindings,
+      viewPorts, preBuiltObjects, componentChildViews);
 
     return view;
   }
 
   bindVariable(contextName:string, templateName:string) {
     MapWrapper.set(this.variableBindings, contextName, templateName);
+    MapWrapper.set(this.protoContextLocals, templateName, null);
   }
 
   bindElement(protoElementInjector:ProtoElementInjector,
@@ -343,13 +389,13 @@ export class ProtoView {
   /**
    * Adds an element property binding for the last created ElementBinder via bindElement
    */
-  bindElementProperty(propertyName:string, expression:AST) {
+  bindElementProperty(expression:AST, setterName:string, setter:SetterFn) {
     var elBinder = this.elementBinders[this.elementBinders.length-1];
     if (!elBinder.hasElementPropertyBindings) {
       elBinder.hasElementPropertyBindings = true;
       this.elementsWithBindingCount++;
     }
-    var memento = new ElementPropertyMemento(this.elementsWithBindingCount-1, propertyName);
+    var memento = new ElementPropertyMemento(this.elementsWithBindingCount-1, setterName, setter);
     this.protoRecordRange.addRecordsFromAST(expression, memento, memento);
   }
 
@@ -383,113 +429,35 @@ export class ProtoView {
     this.protoRecordRange.addRecordsFromAST(expression, expMemento, groupMemento, false);
   }
 
-  static _createElementInjectors(elements, binders, hostElementInjector) {
-    var injectors = ListWrapper.createFixedSize(binders.length);
-    for (var i = 0; i < binders.length; ++i) {
-      var proto = binders[i].protoElementInjector;
-      if (isPresent(proto)) {
-        var parentElementInjector = isPresent(proto.parent) ? injectors[proto.parent.index] : null;
-        injectors[i] = proto.instantiate(parentElementInjector, hostElementInjector);
-      } else {
-        injectors[i] = null;
-      }
-    }
-    return injectors;
-  }
-
-  static _createPreBuiltObjects(view, injectors, elements, binders) {
-    var preBuiltObjects = ListWrapper.createFixedSize(binders.length);
-    for (var i = 0; i < injectors.length; ++i) {
-      var injector = injectors[i];
-      if (injector != null) {
-        var binder = binders[i];
-        var element = elements[i];
-        var ngElement = new NgElement(element);
-        var viewPort = null;
-        if (isPresent(binder.templateDirective)) {
-          viewPort = new ViewPort(view, element, binder.nestedProtoView, injector);
-          view.addViewPort(viewPort);
-        }
-        preBuiltObjects[i] = new PreBuiltObjects(view, ngElement, viewPort);
-      } else {
-        preBuiltObjects[i] = null;
-      }
-    }
-    return preBuiltObjects;
-  }
-
-
-  static _rootElementInjectors(injectors) {
-    return ListWrapper.filter(injectors, inj => isPresent(inj) && isBlank(inj.parent));
-  }
-
-  static _textNodes(elements, binders) {
-    var textNodes = [];
-    for (var i = 0; i < binders.length; ++i) {
-      ProtoView._collectTextNodes(textNodes, elements[i],
-          binders[i].textNodeIndices);
-    }
-    return textNodes;
-  }
-
-  static _bindElements(elements, binders):List<Element> {
-    var bindElements = [];
-    for (var i = 0; i < binders.length; ++i) {
-      if (binders[i].hasElementPropertyBindings) ListWrapper.push(
-          bindElements, elements[i]);
-    }
-    return bindElements;
-  }
-
-  static _collectTextNodes(allTextNodes, element, indices) {
-    if (isPresent(indices)) {
-      var childNodes = DOM.templateAwareRoot(element).childNodes;
-      for (var i = 0; i < indices.length; ++i) {
-        ListWrapper.push(allTextNodes, childNodes[indices[i]]);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  static _instantiateChildComponentViews(view: View, elements, binders,
-      injectors) {
-    for (var i = 0; i < binders.length; ++i) {
-      var binder = binders[i];
-      if (isPresent(binder.componentDirective)) {
-        var injector = injectors[i];
-        var childView = binder.nestedProtoView.instantiate(injectors[i]);
-        view.addComponentChildView(childView);
-        var shadowRoot = elements[i].createShadowRoot();
-        ViewPort.moveViewNodesIntoParent(shadowRoot, childView);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
   // Create a rootView as if the compiler encountered <rootcmp></rootcmp>,
   // and the component template is already compiled into protoView.
   // Used for bootstrapping.
   static createRootProtoView(protoView: ProtoView,
       insertionElement, rootComponentAnnotatedType: AnnotatedType): ProtoView {
+    DOM.addClass(insertionElement, 'ng-binding');
     var rootProtoView = new ProtoView(insertionElement, new ProtoRecordRange());
+    rootProtoView.instantiateInPlace = true;
     var binder = rootProtoView.bindElement(
         new ProtoElementInjector(null, 0, [rootComponentAnnotatedType.type], true));
     binder.componentDirective = rootComponentAnnotatedType;
     binder.nestedProtoView = protoView;
-    DOM.addClass(insertionElement, 'ng-binding');
     return rootProtoView;
   }
 }
 
 export class ElementPropertyMemento {
   _elementIndex:int;
-  _propertyName:string;
-  constructor(elementIndex:int, propertyName:string) {
+  _setterName:string;
+  _setter:SetterFn;
+  constructor(elementIndex:int, setterName:string, setter:SetterFn) {
     this._elementIndex = elementIndex;
-    this._propertyName = propertyName;
+    this._setterName = setterName;
+    this._setter = setter;
   }
 
   invoke(record:Record, bindElements:List<Element>) {
     var element:Element = bindElements[this._elementIndex];
-    DOM.setProperty(element, this._propertyName, record.currentValue);
+    this._setter(element, record.currentValue);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/core/test/compiler/element_injector_spec.js b/modules/core/test/compiler/element_injector_spec.js
index 8ebf091c4f..96023b5cbb 100644
--- a/modules/core/test/compiler/element_injector_spec.js
+++ b/modules/core/test/compiler/element_injector_spec.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {NgElement} from 'core/dom/element';
 //TODO: vsavkin: use a spy object
 class DummyView extends View {
   constructor() {
-    super(null, null, null, null, null, null, new ProtoRecordRange());
+    super(null, null, new ProtoRecordRange(), MapWrapper.create());
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/core/test/compiler/pipeline/element_binder_builder_spec.js b/modules/core/test/compiler/pipeline/element_binder_builder_spec.js
index 5e53e5a935..ef2dae60b1 100644
--- a/modules/core/test/compiler/pipeline/element_binder_builder_spec.js
+++ b/modules/core/test/compiler/pipeline/element_binder_builder_spec.js
@@ -32,12 +32,6 @@ export function main() {
       var parser = new Parser(new Lexer());
       return new CompilePipeline([
         new MockStep((parent, current, control) => {
-            if (isPresent(current.element.getAttribute('viewroot'))) {
-              current.isViewRoot = true;
-              current.inheritedProtoView = new ProtoView(current.element, new ProtoRecordRange());
-            } else if (isPresent(parent)) {
-              current.inheritedProtoView = parent.inheritedProtoView;
-            }
             var hasBinding = false;
             if (isPresent(current.element.getAttribute('text-binding'))) {
               MapWrapper.forEach(textNodeBindings, (v,k) => {
@@ -72,6 +66,12 @@ export function main() {
               current.hasBindings = true;
               DOM.addClass(current.element, 'ng-binding');
             }
+            if (isPresent(current.element.getAttribute('viewroot'))) {
+              current.isViewRoot = true;
+              current.inheritedProtoView = new ProtoView(current.element, new ProtoRecordRange());
+            } else if (isPresent(parent)) {
+              current.inheritedProtoView = parent.inheritedProtoView;
+            }
           }), new ElementBinderBuilder()
       ]);
     }
@@ -159,22 +159,22 @@ export function main() {
 
     it('should bind element properties', () => {
       var propertyBindings = MapWrapper.createFromStringMap({
-        'elprop1': 'prop1',
-        'elprop2': 'prop2'
+        'value': 'prop1',
+        'hidden': 'prop2'
       });
       var pipeline = createPipeline({propertyBindings: propertyBindings});
-      var results = pipeline.process(createElement('<div viewroot prop-binding></div>'));
+      var results = pipeline.process(createElement('<input viewroot prop-binding>'));
       var pv = results[0].inheritedProtoView;
 
       expect(pv.elementBinders[0].hasElementPropertyBindings).toBe(true);
 
       instantiateView(pv);
       evalContext.prop1 = 'a';
-      evalContext.prop2 = 'b';
+      evalContext.prop2 = false;
       changeDetector.detectChanges();
 
-      expect(DOM.getProperty(view.nodes[0], 'elprop1')).toEqual('a');
-      expect(DOM.getProperty(view.nodes[0], 'elprop2')).toEqual('b');
+      expect(view.nodes[0].value).toEqual('a');
+      expect(view.nodes[0].hidden).toEqual(false);
     });
 
     it('should bind events', () => {
diff --git a/modules/core/test/compiler/view_spec.js b/modules/core/test/compiler/view_spec.js
index a33383923a..50e5b1c26b 100644
--- a/modules/core/test/compiler/view_spec.js
+++ b/modules/core/test/compiler/view_spec.js
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ export function main() {
           it('should collect property bindings on the root element if it has the ng-binding class', () => {
             var pv = new ProtoView(templateAwareCreateElement('<div [prop]="a" class="ng-binding"></div>'), new ProtoRecordRange());
             pv.bindElement(null);
-            pv.bindElementProperty('prop', parser.parseBinding('a'));
+            pv.bindElementProperty(parser.parseBinding('a').ast, 'prop', reflector.setter('prop'));
 
             var view = pv.instantiate(null);
             view.hydrate(null, null, null);
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ export function main() {
             var pv = new ProtoView(templateAwareCreateElement('<div><span></span><span class="ng-binding"></span></div>'),
               new ProtoRecordRange());
             pv.bindElement(null);
-            pv.bindElementProperty('a', parser.parseBinding('b'));
+            pv.bindElementProperty(parser.parseBinding('b').ast, 'a', reflector.setter('a'));
 
             var view = pv.instantiate(null);
             view.hydrate(null, null, null);
@@ -159,9 +159,10 @@ export function main() {
 
       describe('inplace instantiation', () => {
         it('should be supported.', () => {
-          var template = createElement('<div></div>')
-          var view = new ProtoView(template, new ProtoRecordRange())
-              .instantiate(null, true);
+          var template = createElement('<div></div>');
+          var pv = new ProtoView(template, new ProtoRecordRange());
+          pv.instantiateInPlace = true;
+          var view = pv.instantiate(null);
           view.hydrate(null, null, null);
           expect(view.nodes[0]).toBe(template);
         });
@@ -369,7 +370,7 @@ export function main() {
           var pv = new ProtoView(createElement('<div class="ng-binding"></div>'),
             new ProtoRecordRange());
           pv.bindElement(null);
-          pv.bindElementProperty('id', parser.parseBinding('foo'));
+          pv.bindElementProperty(parser.parseBinding('foo').ast, 'id', reflector.setter('id'));
           createViewAndChangeDetector(pv);
 
           ctx.foo = 'buz';
@@ -437,14 +438,14 @@ export function main() {
 
       it('should create the root component when instantiated', () => {
         var rootProtoView = ProtoView.createRootProtoView(pv, el, someComponentDirective);
-        var view = rootProtoView.instantiate(null, true);
+        var view = rootProtoView.instantiate(null);
         view.hydrate(new Injector([]), null, null);
         expect(view.rootElementInjectors[0].get(SomeComponent)).not.toBe(null);
       });
 
       it('should inject the protoView into the shadowDom', () => {
         var rootProtoView = ProtoView.createRootProtoView(pv, el, someComponentDirective);
-        var view = rootProtoView.instantiate(null, true);
+        var view = rootProtoView.instantiate(null);
         view.hydrate(new Injector([]), null, null);
         expect(el.shadowRoot.childNodes[0].childNodes[0].nodeValue).toEqual('hi');
       });
diff --git a/modules/core/test/compiler/viewport_spec.js b/modules/core/test/compiler/viewport_spec.js
index 773fcbdee2..29763ba1f4 100644
--- a/modules/core/test/compiler/viewport_spec.js
+++ b/modules/core/test/compiler/viewport_spec.js
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@ function createElement(html) {
 }
 
 function createView(nodes) {
-  return new View(null, nodes, [], [], [], [], new ProtoRecordRange());
+  var view = new View(null, nodes, new ProtoRecordRange(), MapWrapper.create());
+  view.init([], [], [], [], [], [], []);
+  return view;
 }
 
 export function main() {
diff --git a/modules/facade/src/collection.dart b/modules/facade/src/collection.dart
index a9093ac592..d39ebd5099 100644
--- a/modules/facade/src/collection.dart
+++ b/modules/facade/src/collection.dart
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class IterableMap extends IterableBase<List> {
 
 class MapWrapper {
   static HashMap create() => new HashMap();
+  static HashMap clone(Map m) => new HashMap.from(m);
   static HashMap createFromStringMap(m) => m;
   static HashMap createFromPairs(List pairs) {
     return pairs.fold({}, (m, p){
diff --git a/modules/facade/src/collection.es6 b/modules/facade/src/collection.es6
index 3df3e3b375..b6e7807b8c 100644
--- a/modules/facade/src/collection.es6
+++ b/modules/facade/src/collection.es6
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export var Set = window.Set;
 
 export class MapWrapper {
   static create():Map { return new Map(); }
+  static clone(m:Map):Map { return new Map(m); }
   static createFromStringMap(stringMap):Map {
     var result = MapWrapper.create();
     for (var prop in stringMap) {
@@ -63,8 +64,8 @@ export class ListWrapper {
   static createFixedSize(size):List { return new List(size); }
   static get(m, k) { return m[k]; }
   static set(m, k, v) { m[k] = v; }
-  static clone(array) {
-    return Array.prototype.slice.call(array, 0);
+  static clone(array:List) {
+    return array.slice(0);
   }
   static map(array, fn) {
     return array.map(fn);
diff --git a/modules/facade/src/dom.dart b/modules/facade/src/dom.dart
index e1d044b8fd..f01f55c656 100644
--- a/modules/facade/src/dom.dart
+++ b/modules/facade/src/dom.dart
@@ -68,11 +68,8 @@ class DOM {
   static clone(Node node) {
     return node.clone(true);
   }
-  static setProperty(Element element, String name, value) {
-    new JsObject.fromBrowserObject(element)[name] = value;
-  }
-  static getProperty(Element element, String name) {
-    return new JsObject.fromBrowserObject(element)[name];
+  static hasProperty(Element element, String name) {
+    return new JsObject.fromBrowserObject(element).hasProperty(name);
   }
   static getElementsByClassName(Element element, String name) {
     return element.getElementsByClassName(name);
diff --git a/modules/facade/src/dom.es6 b/modules/facade/src/dom.es6
index 8bb76f0765..3a95395d0c 100644
--- a/modules/facade/src/dom.es6
+++ b/modules/facade/src/dom.es6
@@ -63,11 +63,8 @@ export class DOM {
   static clone(node:Node) {
     return node.cloneNode(true);
   }
-  static setProperty(element:Element, name:string, value) {
-    element[name] = value;
-  }
-  static getProperty(element:Element, name:string) {
-    return element[name];
+  static hasProperty(element:Element, name:string) {
+    return name in element;
   }
   static getElementsByClassName(element:Element, name:string) {
     return element.getElementsByClassName(name);