A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that includes identifying a first area in the layout diagram which is populated with cells, the first area including first and second rows extending substantially parallel to a first direction, the first and second rows having substantially different cell densities; relative to a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the first and second rows having corresponding first (H1) and second (H2) heights. The method also includes replacing cells in the first row which have the H1 height with corresponding substitute cells, each substitute cell being correspondingly taller relative to the second direction and correspondingly narrower relative to the first direction, the replacing thereby increasing a density of the second row at least without substantially increasing a density of the first row.