diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/aspect.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/aspect.ts
index 17534e2139f0f..3bca67a12aa6d 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/aspect.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/aspect.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { IConstruct } from './construct-compat';
 
+const ASPECTS_SYMBOL = Symbol('cdk-aspects');
+
 /**
  * Represents an Aspect
  */
@@ -9,3 +11,48 @@ export interface IAspect {
    */
   visit(node: IConstruct): void;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Aspects can be applied to CDK tree scopes and can operate on the tree before
+ * synthesis.
+ */
+export class Aspects {
+
+  /**
+   * Returns the `Aspects` object associated with a construct scope.
+   * @param scope The scope for which these aspects will apply.
+   */
+  public static of(scope: IConstruct): Aspects {
+    let aspects = (scope as any)[ASPECTS_SYMBOL];
+    if (!aspects) {
+      aspects = new Aspects(scope);
+
+      Object.defineProperty(scope, ASPECTS_SYMBOL, {
+        value: aspects,
+        configurable: false,
+        enumerable: false,
+      });
+    }
+    return aspects;
+  }
+
+  // TODO(2.0): private readonly _aspects = new Array<IAspect>();
+  private constructor(private readonly scope: IConstruct) { }
+
+  /**
+   * Adds an aspect to apply this scope before synthesis.
+   * @param aspect The aspect to add.
+   */
+  public add(aspect: IAspect) {
+    // TODO(2.0): this._aspects.push(aspect);
+    this.scope.node._actualNode.applyAspect(aspect);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The list of aspects which were directly applied on this scope.
+   */
+  public get aspects(): IAspect[] {
+    // TODO(2.0): return  [ ...this._aspects ];
+    return [ ...(this.scope.node._actualNode as any)._aspects ]; // clone
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/construct-compat.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/construct-compat.ts
index e689d3a837619..315fa8a38232f 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/construct-compat.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/construct-compat.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 import * as cxschema from '@aws-cdk/cloud-assembly-schema';
 import * as cxapi from '@aws-cdk/cx-api';
 import * as constructs from 'constructs';
-import { IAspect } from './aspect';
+import { IAspect, Aspects } from './aspect';
 import { IDependable } from './dependency';
 import { Token } from './token';
 
@@ -267,7 +267,13 @@ export class ConstructNode {
    */
   public readonly _actualNode: constructs.Node;
 
+  /**
+   * The Construct class that hosts this API.
+   */
+  private readonly host: Construct;
+
   constructor(host: Construct, scope: IConstruct, id: string) {
+    this.host = host;
     this._actualNode = new constructs.Node(host, scope, id);
 
     // store a back reference on _actualNode so we can our ConstructNode from it
@@ -433,9 +439,12 @@ export class ConstructNode {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Applies the aspect to this Constructs node
+   * DEPRECATED: Applies the aspect to this Constructs node
+   *
+   * @deprecated This API is going to be removed in the next major version of
+   * the AWS CDK. Please use `Aspects.of(scope).add()` instead.
    */
-  public applyAspect(aspect: IAspect): void { this._actualNode.applyAspect(aspect); }
+  public applyAspect(aspect: IAspect): void { Aspects.of(this.host).add(aspect); }
 
   /**
    * All parent scopes of this construct.
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/private/synthesis.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/private/synthesis.ts
index 296ba171efde9..77f0bacb7004a 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/private/synthesis.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/private/synthesis.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import * as cxapi from '@aws-cdk/cx-api';
 import * as constructs from 'constructs';
+import { Aspects, IAspect } from '../aspect';
 import { Construct, IConstruct, SynthesisOptions, ValidationError } from '../construct-compat';
 import { Stack } from '../stack';
 import { Stage, StageSynthesisOptions } from '../stage';
@@ -60,26 +61,35 @@ function synthNestedAssemblies(root: IConstruct, options: StageSynthesisOptions)
  * twice for the same construct.
  */
 function invokeAspects(root: IConstruct) {
+  const invokedByPath: { [nodePath: string]: IAspect[] } = { };
+
   let nestedAspectWarning = false;
   recurse(root, []);
 
   function recurse(construct: IConstruct, inheritedAspects: constructs.IAspect[]) {
-    // hackery to be able to access some private members with strong types (yack!)
-    const node: NodeWithAspectPrivatesHangingOut = construct.node._actualNode as any;
-
-    const allAspectsHere = [...inheritedAspects ?? [], ...node._aspects];
-    const nodeAspectsCount = node._aspects.length;
+    const node = construct.node;
+    const aspects = Aspects.of(construct);
+    const allAspectsHere = [...inheritedAspects ?? [], ...aspects.aspects];
+    const nodeAspectsCount = aspects.aspects.length;
     for (const aspect of allAspectsHere) {
-      if (node.invokedAspects.includes(aspect)) { continue; }
+      let invoked = invokedByPath[node.path];
+      if (!invoked) {
+        invoked = invokedByPath[node.path] = [];
+      }
+
+      if (invoked.includes(aspect)) { continue; }
 
       aspect.visit(construct);
+
       // if an aspect was added to the node while invoking another aspect it will not be invoked, emit a warning
       // the `nestedAspectWarning` flag is used to prevent the warning from being emitted for every child
-      if (!nestedAspectWarning && nodeAspectsCount !== node._aspects.length) {
+      if (!nestedAspectWarning && nodeAspectsCount !== aspects.aspects.length) {
         construct.node.addWarning('We detected an Aspect was added via another Aspect, and will not be applied');
         nestedAspectWarning = true;
       }
-      node.invokedAspects.push(aspect);
+
+      // mark as invoked for this node
+      invoked.push(aspect);
     }
 
     for (const child of construct.node.children) {
@@ -180,13 +190,3 @@ interface IProtectedConstructMethods extends IConstruct {
    */
   onPrepare(): void;
 }
-
-/**
- * The constructs Node type, but with some aspects-related fields public.
- *
- * Hackery!
- */
-type NodeWithAspectPrivatesHangingOut = Omit<constructs.Node, 'invokedAspects' | '_aspects'> & {
-  readonly invokedAspects: constructs.IAspect[];
-  readonly _aspects: constructs.IAspect[];
-};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/tag-aspect.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/tag-aspect.ts
index a0c8445cd84a8..3c8fd7b01a6b8 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/tag-aspect.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/lib/tag-aspect.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // import * as cxapi from '@aws-cdk/cx-api';
-import { IAspect } from './aspect';
+import { IAspect, Aspects } from './aspect';
 import { Construct, IConstruct } from './construct-compat';
 import { ITaggable, TagManager } from './tag-manager';
 
@@ -86,17 +86,21 @@ abstract class TagBase implements IAspect {
 export class Tag extends TagBase {
 
   /**
-   * add tags to the node of a construct and all its the taggable children
+   * DEPRECATED: add tags to the node of a construct and all its the taggable children
+   *
+   * @deprecated use `Tags.of(scope).add()`
    */
   public static add(scope: Construct, key: string, value: string, props: TagProps = {}) {
-    scope.node.applyAspect(new Tag(key, value, props));
+    Tags.of(scope).add(key, value, props);
   }
 
   /**
-   * remove tags to the node of a construct and all its the taggable children
+   * DEPRECATED: remove tags to the node of a construct and all its the taggable children
+   *
+   * @deprecated use `Tags.of(scope).remove()`
    */
   public static remove(scope: Construct, key: string, props: TagProps = {}) {
-    scope.node.applyAspect(new RemoveTag(key, props));
+    Tags.of(scope).remove(key, props);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -126,6 +130,35 @@ export class Tag extends TagBase {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Manages AWS tags for all resources within a construct scope.
+ */
+export class Tags {
+  /**
+   * Returns the tags API for this scope.
+   * @param scope The scope
+   */
+  public static of(scope: IConstruct): Tags {
+    return new Tags(scope);
+  }
+
+  private constructor(private readonly scope: IConstruct) { }
+
+  /**
+   * add tags to the node of a construct and all its the taggable children
+   */
+  public add(key: string, value: string, props: TagProps = {}) {
+    Aspects.of(this.scope).add(new Tag(key, value, props));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * remove tags to the node of a construct and all its the taggable children
+   */
+  public remove(key: string, props: TagProps = {}) {
+    Aspects.of(this.scope).add(new RemoveTag(key, props));
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * The RemoveTag Aspect will handle removing tags from this node and children
  */
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.aspect.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.aspect.ts
index 5b13b2a547b5b..90294a86055a7 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.aspect.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.aspect.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import * as cxschema from '@aws-cdk/cloud-assembly-schema';
 import { Test } from 'nodeunit';
 import { App } from '../lib';
-import { IAspect } from '../lib/aspect';
+import { IAspect, Aspects } from '../lib/aspect';
 import { Construct, IConstruct } from '../lib/construct-compat';
 
 class MyConstruct extends Construct {
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export = {
   'Aspects are invoked only once'(test: Test) {
     const app = new App();
     const root = new MyConstruct(app, 'MyConstruct');
-    root.node.applyAspect(new VisitOnce());
+    Aspects.of(root).add(new VisitOnce());
     app.synth();
     test.deepEqual(root.visitCounter, 1);
     app.synth();
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ export = {
     const app = new App();
     const root = new MyConstruct(app, 'MyConstruct');
     const child = new MyConstruct(root, 'ChildConstruct');
-    root.node.applyAspect({
+    Aspects.of(root).add({
       visit(construct: IConstruct) {
-        construct.node.applyAspect({
+        Aspects.of(construct).add({
           visit(inner: IConstruct) {
             inner.node.addMetadata('test', 'would-be-ignored');
           },
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ export = {
     const app = new App();
     const root = new MyConstruct(app, 'Construct');
     const child = new MyConstruct(root, 'ChildConstruct');
-    root.node.applyAspect(new MyAspect());
+    Aspects.of(root).add(new MyAspect());
     app.synth();
     test.deepEqual(root.node.metadata[0].type, 'foo');
     test.deepEqual(root.node.metadata[0].data, 'bar');
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.stack.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.stack.ts
index c6a3be31af013..4eb7ab164b29c 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.stack.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.stack.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import * as cxapi from '@aws-cdk/cx-api';
 import { Test } from 'nodeunit';
 import {
   App, CfnCondition, CfnInclude, CfnOutput, CfnParameter,
-  CfnResource, Construct, Lazy, ScopedAws, Stack, Tag, validateString, ISynthesisSession } from '../lib';
+  CfnResource, Construct, Lazy, ScopedAws, Stack, validateString, ISynthesisSession, Tags } from '../lib';
 import { Intrinsic } from '../lib/private/intrinsic';
 import { resolveReferences } from '../lib/private/refs';
 import { PostResolveToken } from '../lib/util';
@@ -840,7 +840,7 @@ export = {
     const stack2 = new Stack(stack1, 'stack2');
 
     // WHEN
-    Tag.add(app, 'foo', 'bar');
+    Tags.of(app).add('foo', 'bar');
 
     // THEN
     const asm = app.synth();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.stage.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.stage.ts
index 4f5e5f02d0542..d93b8d2c08c38 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.stage.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.stage.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import * as cxapi from '@aws-cdk/cx-api';
 import { Test } from 'nodeunit';
-import { App, CfnResource, Construct, IAspect, IConstruct, Stack, Stage } from '../lib';
+import { App, CfnResource, Construct, IAspect, IConstruct, Stack, Stage, Aspects } from '../lib';
 
 export = {
   'Stack inherits unspecified part of the env from Stage'(test: Test) {
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ export = {
 
     // WHEN
     const aspect = new TouchingAspect();
-    stack.node.applyAspect(aspect);
+    Aspects.of(stack).add(aspect);
 
     // THEN
     app.synth();
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ export = {
 
     // WHEN
     const aspect = new TouchingAspect();
-    app.node.applyAspect(aspect);
+    Aspects.of(app).add(aspect);
 
     // THEN
     app.synth();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.tag-aspect.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.tag-aspect.ts
index cd533bd537e67..ed21a5930b5b4 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.tag-aspect.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/core/test/test.tag-aspect.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { Test } from 'nodeunit';
-import { CfnResource, CfnResourceProps, Construct, RemoveTag, Stack, Tag, TagManager, TagType } from '../lib';
+import { CfnResource, CfnResourceProps, Construct, RemoveTag, Stack, Tag, TagManager, TagType, Aspects, Tags } from '../lib';
 import { synthesize } from '../lib/private/synthesis';
 
 class TaggableResource extends CfnResource {
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ export = {
     const map = new MapTaggableResource(res, 'MapFakeResource', {
       type: 'AWS::Fake::Thing',
     });
-    res.node.applyAspect(new Tag('foo', 'bar'));
+    Aspects.of(res).add(new Tag('foo', 'bar'));
 
     synthesize(root);
 
@@ -72,10 +72,10 @@ export = {
     const res2 = new TaggableResource(res, 'FakeResource', {
       type: 'AWS::Fake::Thing',
     });
-    res.node.applyAspect(new Tag('foo', 'bar'));
-    res.node.applyAspect(new Tag('foo', 'foobar'));
-    res.node.applyAspect(new Tag('foo', 'baz'));
-    res2.node.applyAspect(new Tag('foo', 'good'));
+    Aspects.of(res).add(new Tag('foo', 'bar'));
+    Aspects.of(res).add(new Tag('foo', 'foobar'));
+    Aspects.of(res).add(new Tag('foo', 'baz'));
+    Aspects.of(res2).add(new Tag('foo', 'good'));
     synthesize(root);
     test.deepEqual(res.tags.renderTags(), [{key: 'foo', value: 'baz'}]);
     test.deepEqual(res2.tags.renderTags(), [{key: 'foo', value: 'good'}]);
@@ -96,10 +96,10 @@ export = {
     const map = new MapTaggableResource(res, 'MapFakeResource', {
       type: 'AWS::Fake::Thing',
     });
-    root.node.applyAspect(new Tag('root', 'was here'));
-    res.node.applyAspect(new Tag('first', 'there is only 1'));
-    res.node.applyAspect(new RemoveTag('root'));
-    res.node.applyAspect(new RemoveTag('doesnotexist'));
+    Aspects.of(root).add(new Tag('root', 'was here'));
+    Aspects.of(res).add(new Tag('first', 'there is only 1'));
+    Aspects.of(res).add(new RemoveTag('root'));
+    Aspects.of(res).add(new RemoveTag('doesnotexist'));
     synthesize(root);
 
     test.deepEqual(res.tags.renderTags(), [{key: 'first', value: 'there is only 1'}]);
@@ -123,10 +123,10 @@ export = {
     const map = new MapTaggableResource(res, 'MapFakeResource', {
       type: 'AWS::Fake::Thing',
     });
-    Tag.add(root, 'root', 'was here');
-    Tag.add(res, 'first', 'there is only 1');
-    Tag.remove(res, 'root');
-    Tag.remove(res, 'doesnotexist');
+    Tags.of(root).add('root', 'was here');
+    Tags.of(res).add('first', 'there is only 1');
+    Tags.of(res).remove('root');
+    Tags.of(res).remove('doesnotexist');
 
     synthesize(root);
 
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ export = {
       type: 'AWS::Fake::Thing',
     });
 
-    res.node.applyAspect(new Tag('foo', 'bar'));
+    Aspects.of(res).add(new Tag('foo', 'bar'));
     synthesize(root);
     test.deepEqual(res.tags.renderTags(), [{key: 'foo', value: 'bar'}]);
     synthesize(root);
@@ -159,8 +159,8 @@ export = {
     const res2 = new TaggableResource(res, 'FakeResource', {
       type: 'AWS::Fake::Thing',
     });
-    res.node.applyAspect(new RemoveTag('key'));
-    res2.node.applyAspect(new Tag('key', 'value'));
+    Aspects.of(res).add(new RemoveTag('key'));
+    Aspects.of(res2).add(new Tag('key', 'value'));
     synthesize(root);
     test.deepEqual(res.tags.renderTags(), undefined);
     test.deepEqual(res2.tags.renderTags(), undefined);
@@ -174,8 +174,8 @@ export = {
     const res2 = new TaggableResource(res, 'FakeResource', {
       type: 'AWS::Fake::Thing',
     });
-    res.node.applyAspect(new RemoveTag('key', {priority: 0}));
-    res2.node.applyAspect(new Tag('key', 'value'));
+    Aspects.of(res).add(new RemoveTag('key', {priority: 0}));
+    Aspects.of(res2).add(new Tag('key', 'value'));
     synthesize(root);
     test.deepEqual(res.tags.renderTags(), undefined);
     test.deepEqual(res2.tags.renderTags(), [{key: 'key', value: 'value'}]);
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ export = {
         ],
       },
     });
-    aspectBranch.node.applyAspect(new Tag('aspects', 'rule'));
+    Aspects.of(aspectBranch).add(new Tag('aspects', 'rule'));
     synthesize(root);
     test.deepEqual(aspectBranch.testProperties().tags, [{key: 'aspects', value: 'rule'}, {key: 'cfn', value: 'is cool'}]);
     test.deepEqual(asgResource.testProperties().tags, [