diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index fcbbbb13..89bdb360 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ configure_file(
     ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/common/version.h.in ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/generated/version.h
 )
 
-include_directories(common/ json/ frontend/ 3rdparty/json11/ 3rdparty/pybind11/include ${Boost_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${PYTHON_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+include_directories(common/kernel/ common/place/ common/route/ json/ frontend/ 3rdparty/json11/ 3rdparty/pybind11/include ${Boost_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${PYTHON_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
 if(BUILD_HEAP)
     find_package (Eigen3 REQUIRED NO_MODULE)
@@ -225,12 +225,15 @@ if(BUILD_HEAP)
     add_definitions(-DWITH_HEAP)
 endif()
 
-aux_source_directory(common/ COMMON_SRC_FILES)
+aux_source_directory(common/kernel/ KERNEL_SRC_FILES)
+aux_source_directory(common/place/ PLACE_SRC_FILES)
+aux_source_directory(common/route/ ROUTE_SRC_FILES)
+
 aux_source_directory(json/ JSON_PARSER_FILES)
 aux_source_directory(3rdparty/json11 EXT_JSON11_FILES)
 aux_source_directory(frontend/ FRONTEND_FILES)
 
-set(COMMON_FILES ${COMMON_SRC_FILES} ${EXT_JSON11_FILES} ${JSON_PARSER_FILES} ${FRONTEND_FILES})
+set(COMMON_FILES ${KERNEL_SRC_FILES} ${PLACE_SRC_FILES} ${ROUTE_SRC_FILES} ${EXT_JSON11_FILES} ${JSON_PARSER_FILES} ${FRONTEND_FILES})
 if( NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE )
     set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release)
 endif()
diff --git a/common/arch_api.h b/common/kernel/arch_api.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/arch_api.h
rename to common/kernel/arch_api.h
diff --git a/common/arch_pybindings_shared.h b/common/kernel/arch_pybindings_shared.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/arch_pybindings_shared.h
rename to common/kernel/arch_pybindings_shared.h
diff --git a/common/archcheck.cc b/common/kernel/archcheck.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/archcheck.cc
rename to common/kernel/archcheck.cc
diff --git a/common/base_arch.h b/common/kernel/base_arch.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/base_arch.h
rename to common/kernel/base_arch.h
diff --git a/common/base_clusterinfo.h b/common/kernel/base_clusterinfo.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/base_clusterinfo.h
rename to common/kernel/base_clusterinfo.h
diff --git a/common/basectx.cc b/common/kernel/basectx.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/basectx.cc
rename to common/kernel/basectx.cc
diff --git a/common/basectx.h b/common/kernel/basectx.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/basectx.h
rename to common/kernel/basectx.h
diff --git a/common/bits.cc b/common/kernel/bits.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/bits.cc
rename to common/kernel/bits.cc
diff --git a/common/bits.h b/common/kernel/bits.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/bits.h
rename to common/kernel/bits.h
diff --git a/common/chain_utils.h b/common/kernel/chain_utils.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/chain_utils.h
rename to common/kernel/chain_utils.h
diff --git a/common/command.cc b/common/kernel/command.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/command.cc
rename to common/kernel/command.cc
diff --git a/common/command.h b/common/kernel/command.h
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rename from common/command.h
rename to common/kernel/command.h
diff --git a/common/constraints.h b/common/kernel/constraints.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/constraints.h
rename to common/kernel/constraints.h
diff --git a/common/constraints.impl.h b/common/kernel/constraints.impl.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/constraints.impl.h
rename to common/kernel/constraints.impl.h
diff --git a/common/context.cc b/common/kernel/context.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/context.cc
rename to common/kernel/context.cc
diff --git a/common/context.h b/common/kernel/context.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/context.h
rename to common/kernel/context.h
diff --git a/common/design_utils.cc b/common/kernel/design_utils.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/design_utils.cc
rename to common/kernel/design_utils.cc
diff --git a/common/design_utils.h b/common/kernel/design_utils.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/design_utils.h
rename to common/kernel/design_utils.h
diff --git a/common/deterministic_rng.h b/common/kernel/deterministic_rng.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/deterministic_rng.h
rename to common/kernel/deterministic_rng.h
diff --git a/common/dynamic_bitarray.h b/common/kernel/dynamic_bitarray.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/dynamic_bitarray.h
rename to common/kernel/dynamic_bitarray.h
diff --git a/common/embed.cc b/common/kernel/embed.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/embed.cc
rename to common/kernel/embed.cc
diff --git a/common/embed.h b/common/kernel/embed.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/embed.h
rename to common/kernel/embed.h
diff --git a/common/exclusive_state_groups.h b/common/kernel/exclusive_state_groups.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/exclusive_state_groups.h
rename to common/kernel/exclusive_state_groups.h
diff --git a/common/exclusive_state_groups.impl.h b/common/kernel/exclusive_state_groups.impl.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/exclusive_state_groups.impl.h
rename to common/kernel/exclusive_state_groups.impl.h
diff --git a/common/handle_error.cc b/common/kernel/handle_error.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/handle_error.cc
rename to common/kernel/handle_error.cc
diff --git a/common/hashlib.h b/common/kernel/hashlib.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/hashlib.h
rename to common/kernel/hashlib.h
diff --git a/common/idstring.cc b/common/kernel/idstring.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/idstring.cc
rename to common/kernel/idstring.cc
diff --git a/common/idstring.h b/common/kernel/idstring.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/idstring.h
rename to common/kernel/idstring.h
diff --git a/common/idstringlist.cc b/common/kernel/idstringlist.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/idstringlist.cc
rename to common/kernel/idstringlist.cc
diff --git a/common/idstringlist.h b/common/kernel/idstringlist.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/idstringlist.h
rename to common/kernel/idstringlist.h
diff --git a/common/indexed_store.h b/common/kernel/indexed_store.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/indexed_store.h
rename to common/kernel/indexed_store.h
diff --git a/common/log.cc b/common/kernel/log.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/log.cc
rename to common/kernel/log.cc
diff --git a/common/log.h b/common/kernel/log.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/log.h
rename to common/kernel/log.h
diff --git a/common/nextpnr.cc b/common/kernel/nextpnr.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/nextpnr.cc
rename to common/kernel/nextpnr.cc
diff --git a/common/nextpnr.h b/common/kernel/nextpnr.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/nextpnr.h
rename to common/kernel/nextpnr.h
diff --git a/common/nextpnr_assertions.cc b/common/kernel/nextpnr_assertions.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/nextpnr_assertions.cc
rename to common/kernel/nextpnr_assertions.cc
diff --git a/common/nextpnr_assertions.h b/common/kernel/nextpnr_assertions.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/nextpnr_assertions.h
rename to common/kernel/nextpnr_assertions.h
diff --git a/common/nextpnr_base_types.h b/common/kernel/nextpnr_base_types.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/nextpnr_base_types.h
rename to common/kernel/nextpnr_base_types.h
diff --git a/common/nextpnr_namespaces.cc b/common/kernel/nextpnr_namespaces.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/nextpnr_namespaces.cc
rename to common/kernel/nextpnr_namespaces.cc
diff --git a/common/nextpnr_namespaces.h b/common/kernel/nextpnr_namespaces.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/nextpnr_namespaces.h
rename to common/kernel/nextpnr_namespaces.h
diff --git a/common/nextpnr_types.cc b/common/kernel/nextpnr_types.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/nextpnr_types.cc
rename to common/kernel/nextpnr_types.cc
diff --git a/common/nextpnr_types.h b/common/kernel/nextpnr_types.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/nextpnr_types.h
rename to common/kernel/nextpnr_types.h
diff --git a/common/property.cc b/common/kernel/property.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/property.cc
rename to common/kernel/property.cc
diff --git a/common/property.h b/common/kernel/property.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/property.h
rename to common/kernel/property.h
diff --git a/common/pybindings.cc b/common/kernel/pybindings.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/pybindings.cc
rename to common/kernel/pybindings.cc
diff --git a/common/pybindings.h b/common/kernel/pybindings.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/pybindings.h
rename to common/kernel/pybindings.h
diff --git a/common/pycontainers.h b/common/kernel/pycontainers.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/pycontainers.h
rename to common/kernel/pycontainers.h
diff --git a/common/pywrappers.h b/common/kernel/pywrappers.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/pywrappers.h
rename to common/kernel/pywrappers.h
diff --git a/common/relptr.h b/common/kernel/relptr.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/relptr.h
rename to common/kernel/relptr.h
diff --git a/common/report.cc b/common/kernel/report.cc
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rename from common/report.cc
rename to common/kernel/report.cc
diff --git a/common/scope_lock.h b/common/kernel/scope_lock.h
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rename from common/scope_lock.h
rename to common/kernel/scope_lock.h
diff --git a/common/sdf.cc b/common/kernel/sdf.cc
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rename from common/sdf.cc
rename to common/kernel/sdf.cc
diff --git a/common/sso_array.h b/common/kernel/sso_array.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/sso_array.h
rename to common/kernel/sso_array.h
diff --git a/common/str_ring_buffer.cc b/common/kernel/str_ring_buffer.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/str_ring_buffer.cc
rename to common/kernel/str_ring_buffer.cc
diff --git a/common/str_ring_buffer.h b/common/kernel/str_ring_buffer.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/str_ring_buffer.h
rename to common/kernel/str_ring_buffer.h
diff --git a/common/svg.cc b/common/kernel/svg.cc
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rename from common/svg.cc
rename to common/kernel/svg.cc
diff --git a/common/timing.cc b/common/kernel/timing.cc
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rename from common/timing.cc
rename to common/kernel/timing.cc
diff --git a/common/timing.h b/common/kernel/timing.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/timing.h
rename to common/kernel/timing.h
diff --git a/common/util.h b/common/kernel/util.h
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rename from common/util.h
rename to common/kernel/util.h
diff --git a/common/fast_bels.h b/common/place/fast_bels.h
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rename from common/fast_bels.h
rename to common/place/fast_bels.h
diff --git a/common/parallel_refine.cc b/common/place/parallel_refine.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/parallel_refine.cc
rename to common/place/parallel_refine.cc
diff --git a/common/parallel_refine.h b/common/place/parallel_refine.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/parallel_refine.h
rename to common/place/parallel_refine.h
diff --git a/common/place_common.cc b/common/place/place_common.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/place_common.cc
rename to common/place/place_common.cc
diff --git a/common/place_common.h b/common/place/place_common.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/place_common.h
rename to common/place/place_common.h
diff --git a/common/placer1.cc b/common/place/placer1.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/placer1.cc
rename to common/place/placer1.cc
diff --git a/common/placer1.h b/common/place/placer1.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/placer1.h
rename to common/place/placer1.h
diff --git a/common/placer_heap.cc b/common/place/placer_heap.cc
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rename from common/placer_heap.cc
rename to common/place/placer_heap.cc
diff --git a/common/placer_heap.h b/common/place/placer_heap.h
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rename from common/placer_heap.h
rename to common/place/placer_heap.h
diff --git a/common/timing_opt.cc b/common/place/timing_opt.cc
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rename from common/timing_opt.cc
rename to common/place/timing_opt.cc
diff --git a/common/timing_opt.h b/common/place/timing_opt.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/timing_opt.h
rename to common/place/timing_opt.h
diff --git a/common/router1.cc b/common/route/router1.cc
similarity index 100%
rename from common/router1.cc
rename to common/route/router1.cc
diff --git a/common/router1.h b/common/route/router1.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/router1.h
rename to common/route/router1.h
diff --git a/common/router2.cc b/common/route/router2.cc
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rename from common/router2.cc
rename to common/route/router2.cc
diff --git a/common/router2.h b/common/route/router2.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/router2.h
rename to common/route/router2.h