diff --git a/bin/yashchiki b/bin/yashchiki
index 10446bd641b0b31acb9a4ed786c443867e512063..e4c88342ad0fa79ba22d15eb0c6bd8c39070782d 100644
--- a/bin/yashchiki
+++ b/bin/yashchiki
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import pathlib
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
 import textwrap
+import yaml
 from typing import Optional
 
 
@@ -136,18 +137,22 @@ paths = [
 for path_to_check in paths:
     check_no_globbing(path_to_check)
 
+config = None
+with open(os.path.join("share", "yashchiki", "styles", args.style, "config.yaml")) as config_file:
+    config = yaml.safe_load(config_file)
+
 # collection of environment variables used to configure the shell scripts'
 # behavior
 env = {
-    "DOCKER_BASE_IMAGE": "debian:bullseye" if args.style == "visionary" else "centos:7",
+    "DOCKER_BASE_IMAGE": config["docker_base_image"],
     # This needs to be here because otherwise the default python
     # (2.7.18) will pollute the spec and lead to a conflict
     # can be removed as soon as the explicit preferred version
     # is dropped
-    "DEPENDENCY_PYTHON": "python@3." + ("8.2" if args.style == "visionary" else "6.8"),
-    "YASHCHIKI_BUILD_SPACK_GCC": "1" if args.style == "visionary" else "0",
-    "YASHCHIKI_SPACK_GCC_VERSION": "11.2.0" if args.style == "visionary" else "4.8.5",
-    "YASHCHIKI_SPACK_GCC": "gcc@11.2.0" if args.style == "visionary" else "gcc@4.8.5",
+    "DEPENDENCY_PYTHON": "python@" + config["dependency_python"],
+    "YASHCHIKI_BUILD_SPACK_GCC": str(int(config["spack_gcc"]["build"])),
+    "YASHCHIKI_SPACK_GCC_VERSION": config["spack_gcc"]["version"],
+    "YASHCHIKI_SPACK_GCC": "gcc@" + config["spack_gcc"]["version"],
     "WORKSPACE": os.getcwd(), # FIXME: should not be required
     "CONTAINER_STYLE": args.style,
     "CONTAINER_BUILD_TYPE": "testing", # FIXME: should not be required
diff --git a/share/yashchiki/styles/asic/config.yaml b/share/yashchiki/styles/asic/config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..ef427c02efa44d5ce37480f16496e74400b32c83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/share/yashchiki/styles/asic/config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+docker_base_image: "centos:7"
+dependency_python: "3.8.3"
+spack_gcc:
+  build: false
+  version: "4.8.5"
diff --git a/share/yashchiki/styles/visionary/config.yaml b/share/yashchiki/styles/visionary/config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..7b8f7f4c4a1db63c8a449d3e23a2264f1c6bc8fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/share/yashchiki/styles/visionary/config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+docker_base_image: "debian:bullseye"
+dependency_python: "3.8.2"
+spack_gcc:
+  # Whether to build the specified gcc via spack or assume existance.
+  build: true
+  # Version to use as compiler for spack build.
+  version: "11.2.0"