A system for mapping tasks of at least one application on processing units of a reconfigurable array, the system comprising a plurality of programmable processing units, each programmable processing unit having at least one connection node, the programmable processing units disposed on a layer permitting interconnection between connection nodes; and a mapping unit adapted to substantially simultaneously optimize placement of the tasks on the plurality of programmable processing units and routing of interconnections between the plurality of processing units, the mapping unit adapted to select one placement algorithm among a plurality of predetermined placement algorithms and to select one routing algorithm from a plurality of predetermined placement algorithms, the selection configured to prefer use of non-random algorithms.