Rather than proposing a new idea, I'm endorsing this tool that Adobe previewed in 2017 at the Adobe Max conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIRz9cuDbSc

This physics engine, and possibly similar tools that could do things like detect whether one shape was on top of another (something you can effectively do using selections in Photoshop), would be extremely useful and time-saving for many illustrators. It allows illustrators to see possible ways that symbols can be tossed or fitted together without going through the tedious work of fitting them manually.

With more spacing, you could call it nesting. With less spacing, you might call it snapping or point-joining.