diff --git a/vortex-layout/public-api.lock b/vortex-layout/public-api.lock
index 2cb3dec9d9a..4515fc59412 100644
--- a/vortex-layout/public-api.lock
+++ b/vortex-layout/public-api.lock
@@ -6,6 +6,32 @@ pub mod vortex_layout::aliases::paste
 
 pub use vortex_layout::aliases::paste::paste
 
+pub mod vortex_layout::buffer
+
+pub struct vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle
+
+impl vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle
+
+pub fn vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle::byte_ranges(&self) -> core::option::Option<&[core::ops::range::Range<usize>]>
+
+pub fn vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle::filter(&self, ranges: &[core::ops::range::Range<usize>]) -> Self
+
+pub async fn vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle::materialize(&self) -> vortex_error::VortexResult<vortex_array::buffer::BufferHandle>
+
+pub fn vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle::new(source: alloc::sync::Arc<dyn vortex_layout::segments::SegmentSource>, segment_id: vortex_layout::segments::SegmentId) -> Self
+
+pub fn vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle::segment_id(&self) -> vortex_layout::segments::SegmentId
+
+pub fn vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle::slice(&self, range: core::ops::range::Range<usize>) -> Self
+
+impl core::clone::Clone for vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle
+
+pub fn vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle::clone(&self) -> vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle
+
+impl core::fmt::Debug for vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle
+
+pub fn vortex_layout::buffer::LazyBufferHandle::fmt(&self, f: &mut core::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> core::fmt::Result
+
 pub mod vortex_layout::display
 
 pub struct vortex_layout::display::DisplayLayoutTree
diff --git a/vortex-layout/src/buffer.rs b/vortex-layout/src/buffer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..79235c8d583
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vortex-layout/src/buffer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,356 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright the Vortex contributors
+
+use std::fmt::Debug;
+use std::fmt::Formatter;
+use std::ops::Range;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+
+use vortex_array::buffer::BufferHandle;
+use vortex_error::VortexResult;
+
+use crate::segments::SegmentId;
+use crate::segments::SegmentSource;
+
+/// A lazy buffer handle that defers segment I/O until materialization.
+///
+/// Wraps a [`SegmentSource`] and [`SegmentId`] together with an optional byte
+/// selection. Operations like [`slice`](Self::slice) and [`filter`](Self::filter)
+/// accumulate without triggering I/O, allowing the system to determine the exact
+/// byte ranges needed before reading.
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct LazyBufferHandle {
+    source: Arc<dyn SegmentSource>,
+    segment_id: SegmentId,
+    selection: Selection,
+}
+
+/// Byte selection within a segment buffer.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+enum Selection {
+    /// The entire segment is selected.
+    All,
+    /// A single contiguous byte range within the segment.
+    Range(Range<usize>),
+    /// Multiple non-overlapping, sorted byte ranges within the segment.
+    Ranges(Arc<[Range<usize>]>),
+}
+
+impl LazyBufferHandle {
+    /// Create a new lazy handle selecting the entire segment.
+    pub fn new(source: Arc<dyn SegmentSource>, segment_id: SegmentId) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            source,
+            segment_id,
+            selection: Selection::All,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the segment ID.
+    pub fn segment_id(&self) -> SegmentId {
+        self.segment_id
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the byte ranges that will be read from the segment, or `None` if the
+    /// entire segment is selected.
+    pub fn byte_ranges(&self) -> Option<&[Range<usize>]> {
+        match &self.selection {
+            Selection::All => None,
+            Selection::Range(r) => Some(std::slice::from_ref(r)),
+            Selection::Ranges(ranges) => Some(ranges),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Narrow to a contiguous byte range within the current selection.
+    ///
+    /// The range is interpreted relative to the current selection's logical byte
+    /// offsets (i.e., offsets into the bytes that would be produced by materializing
+    /// the current selection).
+    ///
+    /// # Panics
+    ///
+    /// Panics if the range exceeds the bounds of the current selection (when
+    /// those bounds are known).
+    pub fn slice(&self, range: Range<usize>) -> Self {
+        let selection = match &self.selection {
+            Selection::All => Selection::Range(range),
+            Selection::Range(base) => {
+                let start = base.start + range.start;
+                let end = base.start + range.end;
+                assert!(
+                    end <= base.end,
+                    "slice range {}..{} exceeds current selection 0..{}",
+                    range.start,
+                    range.end,
+                    base.len(),
+                );
+                Selection::Range(start..end)
+            }
+            Selection::Ranges(existing) => slice_into_ranges(existing, range),
+        };
+        Self {
+            source: Arc::clone(&self.source),
+            segment_id: self.segment_id,
+            selection,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Select multiple byte ranges within the current view.
+    ///
+    /// Ranges are interpreted relative to the current selection's logical byte
+    /// offsets and must be sorted and non-overlapping.
+    ///
+    /// # Panics
+    ///
+    /// Panics if any range exceeds the bounds of the current selection (when
+    /// those bounds are known).
+    pub fn filter(&self, ranges: &[Range<usize>]) -> Self {
+        let selection = match &self.selection {
+            Selection::All => Selection::Ranges(Arc::from(ranges)),
+            Selection::Range(base) => {
+                let absolute: Arc<[Range<usize>]> = ranges
+                    .iter()
+                    .map(|r| {
+                        let abs = (base.start + r.start)..(base.start + r.end);
+                        assert!(
+                            abs.end <= base.end,
+                            "filter range {}..{} exceeds current selection 0..{}",
+                            r.start,
+                            r.end,
+                            base.len(),
+                        );
+                        abs
+                    })
+                    .collect();
+                Selection::Ranges(absolute)
+            }
+            Selection::Ranges(existing) => {
+                // Each input range is relative to the concatenated output of
+                // the existing ranges. Map them back to absolute segment offsets.
+                let mut result = Vec::new();
+                for r in ranges {
+                    match slice_into_ranges(existing, r.clone()) {
+                        Selection::All => unreachable!(),
+                        Selection::Range(abs) => result.push(abs),
+                        Selection::Ranges(abs) => result.extend_from_slice(&abs),
+                    }
+                }
+                Selection::Ranges(result.into())
+            }
+        };
+        Self {
+            source: Arc::clone(&self.source),
+            segment_id: self.segment_id,
+            selection,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Materialize the lazy buffer by performing I/O and applying the selection.
+    ///
+    /// # Errors
+    ///
+    /// Returns an error if the segment cannot be loaded or the selection cannot be
+    /// applied.
+    pub async fn materialize(&self) -> VortexResult<BufferHandle> {
+        let buffer = self.source.request(self.segment_id).await?;
+        match &self.selection {
+            Selection::All => Ok(buffer),
+            Selection::Range(range) => Ok(buffer.slice(range.clone())),
+            Selection::Ranges(ranges) => buffer.filter(ranges),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Debug for LazyBufferHandle {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        f.debug_struct("LazyBufferHandle")
+            .field("segment_id", &self.segment_id)
+            .field("selection", &self.selection)
+            .finish()
+    }
+}
+
+/// Map a logical byte range into the given set of existing absolute ranges.
+///
+/// The `range` is interpreted as an offset into the concatenated output of
+/// `existing`. The result contains the corresponding absolute segment byte
+/// ranges.
+///
+/// # Example
+///
+/// Given `existing = [10..20, 30..50]` (30 logical bytes),
+/// `slice_into_ranges(existing, 5..25)` returns `Ranges([15..20, 30..40])`.
+fn slice_into_ranges(existing: &[Range<usize>], range: Range<usize>) -> Selection {
+    let mut result = Vec::new();
+    let mut offset: usize = 0;
+
+    for er in existing {
+        let er_len = er.len();
+        let next_offset = offset + er_len;
+
+        // Skip ranges entirely before the slice start.
+        if next_offset <= range.start {
+            offset = next_offset;
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        // Stop once past the slice end.
+        if offset >= range.end {
+            break;
+        }
+
+        // Intersect [range.start, range.end) with the logical span [offset, next_offset)
+        // and map back to absolute segment bytes.
+        let rel_start = range.start.saturating_sub(offset);
+        let rel_end = (range.end - offset).min(er_len);
+        result.push((er.start + rel_start)..(er.start + rel_end));
+
+        offset = next_offset;
+    }
+
+    match result.len() {
+        0 => Selection::Ranges(Arc::from([])),
+        1 => Selection::Range(result.remove(0)),
+        _ => Selection::Ranges(result.into()),
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use std::ops::Range;
+    use std::sync::Arc;
+
+    use futures::FutureExt;
+    use vortex_array::buffer::BufferHandle;
+    use vortex_buffer::ByteBuffer;
+    use vortex_error::VortexResult;
+    use vortex_io::runtime::single::block_on;
+
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::segments::SegmentFuture;
+    use crate::segments::SegmentId;
+    use crate::segments::SegmentSource;
+
+    /// A trivial in-memory segment source for tests.
+    struct SingleSegment(BufferHandle);
+
+    impl SegmentSource for SingleSegment {
+        fn request(&self, _id: SegmentId) -> SegmentFuture {
+            let handle = self.0.clone();
+            async move { Ok(handle) }.boxed()
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn lazy(data: &[u8]) -> LazyBufferHandle {
+        let buf = BufferHandle::new_host(ByteBuffer::copy_from(data));
+        LazyBufferHandle::new(Arc::new(SingleSegment(buf)), SegmentId::from(0u32))
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn materialize_all() -> VortexResult<()> {
+        block_on(|_| async {
+            let handle = lazy(&[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]).materialize().await?;
+            assert_eq!(handle.unwrap_host().as_slice(), &[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]);
+            Ok(())
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn slice_single() -> VortexResult<()> {
+        block_on(|_| async {
+            let handle = lazy(&[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]).slice(1..5).materialize().await?;
+            assert_eq!(handle.unwrap_host().as_slice(), &[2, 3, 4, 5]);
+            Ok(())
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn slice_of_slice() -> VortexResult<()> {
+        block_on(|_| async {
+            let handle = lazy(&[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6])
+                .slice(1..5)
+                .slice(1..3)
+                .materialize()
+                .await?;
+            assert_eq!(handle.unwrap_host().as_slice(), &[3, 4]);
+            Ok(())
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn filter_from_all() -> VortexResult<()> {
+        block_on(|_| async {
+            let handle = lazy(&[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6])
+                .filter(&[0..2, 4..6])
+                .materialize()
+                .await?;
+            assert_eq!(handle.unwrap_host().as_slice(), &[1, 2, 5, 6]);
+            Ok(())
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn filter_of_slice() -> VortexResult<()> {
+        block_on(|_| async {
+            let handle = lazy(&[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6])
+                .slice(1..5)
+                .filter(&[0..1, 2..4])
+                .materialize()
+                .await?;
+            // slice(1..5) → [2, 3, 4, 5]
+            // filter([0..1, 2..4]) → [2, 4, 5]
+            assert_eq!(handle.unwrap_host().as_slice(), &[2, 4, 5]);
+            Ok(())
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn slice_of_filter() -> VortexResult<()> {
+        block_on(|_| async {
+            let handle = lazy(&[10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60])
+                .filter(&[0..2, 4..6])
+                .slice(1..3)
+                .materialize()
+                .await?;
+            // filter([0..2, 4..6]) selects [10, 20, 50, 60] (4 logical bytes)
+            // slice(1..3) → logical bytes 1..3 → [20, 50]
+            assert_eq!(handle.unwrap_host().as_slice(), &[20, 50]);
+            Ok(())
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn filter_of_filter() -> VortexResult<()> {
+        block_on(|_| async {
+            let handle = lazy(&[10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60])
+                .filter(&[0..2, 4..6])
+                .filter(&[0..1, 3..4])
+                .materialize()
+                .await?;
+            // First filter selects [10, 20, 50, 60] (logical bytes 0..4)
+            // Second filter selects logical [0..1, 3..4] → [10, 60]
+            assert_eq!(handle.unwrap_host().as_slice(), &[10, 60]);
+            Ok(())
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn byte_ranges_none_for_all() {
+        let lazy = lazy(&[1, 2, 3]);
+        assert!(lazy.byte_ranges().is_none());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn byte_ranges_after_slice() {
+        let lazy = lazy(&[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]).slice(1..4);
+        let expected = [Range { start: 1, end: 4 }];
+        assert_eq!(lazy.byte_ranges(), Some(expected.as_slice()));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn byte_ranges_after_filter() {
+        let lazy = lazy(&[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]).filter(&[0..2, 3..5]);
+        let expected = [Range { start: 0, end: 2 }, Range { start: 3, end: 5 }];
+        assert_eq!(lazy.byte_ranges(), Some(expected.as_slice()));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/vortex-layout/src/lib.rs b/vortex-layout/src/lib.rs
index f7f3787da79..24595a3f6b4 100644
--- a/vortex-layout/src/lib.rs
+++ b/vortex-layout/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright the Vortex contributors
 
+pub mod buffer;
 pub mod layouts;
 
 pub use children::*;