In my research of ordering systems, I found the concept of emergent structures to be a relevant model for my own work.  I will be posting images of my final model shortly.

Emergence (n) In philosophy, systems theory and the sciences, emergence is the way complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions. -Wikipedia

First Order Structures

At a local level, connections rely upon material elasticity in bending and torsion. The confluence of opposing forces yields stability at the unit-unit level. Therefore, connections with opposing bending and torque vectors will be highly stable (fig.1). This prerequisite for structural stability serves as the primary regulator of potential unit-unit connection types. Agglomerations of semi-autonomous bodies, or clusters, result from these conditions.

Second Order Structures

Clusters are best understood as ‘seeds’ with specific capacities to spawn further growth in the system. At this level, growth is regulated by input nodes and proximity to other clusters in addition to the aforementioned qualifiers for unit connections.

Third Order Structures

The system as a whole is also subject to performance constraints. Mass is accommodated by a density gradient, moving from the most dense at the bottom, to the least at the top. Directionality results from transfer of system-wide forces. Emergence, in this case, is a product both of the physical parameters of the unit itself and a system of behavioral tectonics that yield myriad growth patterns. The resulting complexity is characteristic of emergent systems and can be seen in natural phenomena such as termite mounds (fig. 2).