Control size of subplots created with patchwork - code improvement - r

Question

I want to make a multipanel figure containing multiple labeled plots. My plots are produced in ggplot2 & I would like to arrange them with patchwork.
I want to combine two subplots in the first row, followed by two other plots arranged one plot per row:
plot3 + plot4 - both in row #1
plot1 - in row #2
plot2 - in row #3
Here is a dummy example to illustrate the problem:
```{r, fig.width=10, fig.height=13}
library(ggplot2)
library(patchwork)
#Dummy plots
plot1 <- ggplot2::ggplot(data = mpg, aes(x = class, fill=drv)) +
geom_bar(aes(y = ..count..)) + ggplot2::ggtitle("Plot1")
plot2 <- ggplot2::ggplot(data = mpg, aes(x = displ, y = hwy, color=class)) +
geom_point()+ ggplot2::ggtitle("Plot2")
plot3 <- ggplot2::ggplot(data = mpg, aes(x = cty)) +
geom_density()+ ggplot2::ggtitle("Plot3")
plot4 <- ggplot2::ggplot(data = mpg, aes(x = cty, y=drv, fill = fl)) +
geom_col()+ ggplot2::ggtitle("Plot4")
# this works, but it is not the desired layout
final <- plot1 + plot2 + {plot3 + plot4 + patchwork::plot_layout(ncol=2)} +
patchwork::plot_layout(ncol=1,heights = unit(c(4, 7, 2),c('cm')))
plot(final)
#this does not work
final2 <- {plot3 + plot4 + patchwork::plot_layout(ncol=2)} + plot1 + plot2 +
patchwork::plot_layout(ncol=1, heights = unit(c(2, 4, 7),c('cm')))
print(final2)
```
This is the output I can produce, but this is not what I want:
And this is the picture I would like to obtain:
Some of my other attempts:
#this does not work either
up_patch <- plot3 + plot4 + patchwork::plot_layout(ncol=2)
final2 <- up_patch + plot1 + plot2 + patchwork::plot_layout(ncol=1, heights = unit(c(2, 4, 7),c('cm')))
print(final2)
#and this as well
up_patch <- plot3 + plot4 + patchwork::plot_layout(ncol=2, heights= unit(2,c('cm')))
bottom_patch <- plot1 + plot2 + patchwork::plot_layout(ncol=1, heights = unit(c(4, 7),c('cm')))
final2 <- up_patch + bottom_patch
print(final2)
# THIS WORKS but needs improvement
final_desired <- (plot3 | plot4) / plot1 + plot2
print(final_desired)
In the last attempt I was able to produce the desired layout, however I would like to be able to control the dimensions of the subplots as in my dummy example in the beginning of this post). It is important for me to adjust the image size to the size of the page.
I would also like to know how to use a namespace qualifier while calling patchwork in the working example, so I would not call a function from another package by an accident.
I followed the instructions from these sources:
https://ggplot2-book.org/arranging-plots.html
https://patchwork.data-imaginist.com/articles/guides/layout.html - (footnote: I do not understand the textual representation of layout)
Combine multiple patchworks

Answer 1

One option would be to use the design argument to specify the layout:
library(ggplot2)
library(patchwork)
design = "
CD
AA
BB
"
plot1 + plot2 + plot3 + plot4 +
plot_layout(
design = design,
heights = c(2, 4, 7))