No, the Architect will not automatically optimize your layout.
It took me a lot of tinkering and exploring the various menus to realize how useful EA really is. The up-front learning can be a bit much, but once you have become comfortable with (and located) the many features, it is invaluable.
You can pull up lists of buildings (culture, mana, seeds, etc) and by manipulating the filters, arrive at a list that shows the buildings you have in your city and in your inventory and which are most efficient for producing what you are in need of. You can also add in what those comparisons are if you were to use RRs to upgrade a building to the next level.