The placement problem of two-dimensional objects over planar surfaces optimizing given utility functions is a combinatorial optimization problem. Our main drive is that of surveying genetic algorithms and hybrid metaheuristics in terms of final positioning area compaction of the solution. Furthermore, a new hybrid evolutionary approach, combining a genetic algorithm merged with a non-linear compaction method is introduced and compared with referenced literature heuristics using both randomly generated instances and benchmark problems. A wide variety of experiments is made, and the respective results and discussions are presented. Finally, conclusions are drawn, and future research is defined.