In this paper, we develop a simple technique for constructing a Binary Space Partition (BSP) for a set of orthogonal rectangles in ℝ3. Our algorithm has the novel feature that it tunes its performance to the geometric properties of the rectangles, e.g., their aspect ratios. We have implemented our algorithm and tested its performance on real data sets. We have also systematically compared the performance of our algorithm with that of other techniques presented in the literature. Our studies show that our algorithm constructs BSPs of near-linear size and small height in practice, has fast running times, and answers queries efficiently. It is a method of choice for constructing BSPs for orthogonal rectangles. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1998.