A system and corresponding method for creating an adaptive computing engine (ACE) includes algorithmic elements, ACE building blocks, and creates a design for heterogeneous nodes to provide appropriate hardware circuit functions that implement the algorithmic elements. Creating the design includes selecting an initial set of the ACE building blocks. The system and corresponding method also optimizes the design by selecting a different set of the ACE building blocks that meets predetermined performance standards for the efficiency of the ACE when performance of the ACE is simulated. The ACE building block preferably belong to one of a plurality of building block types. Preferably, the system and method includes a profiler for providing code to simulate a hardware design that implements the algorithmic elements, for identifying hotspots in the code, and for creating the design based thereon.