Not quite the same but if you look up some of the designs of Richard Buckminster Fuller (I have a book based on his patent aplications and designs) you might be interested in his geodesic
domes,
spheres and
tensegrity structures, they have a very high strength to weight ratio.
He even created a method of cartography called his
Dymaxoin map which produced less distortion when layed out flat than traditional projections and also designed an energy grid to lessen the amount of energy lost through transmission. Of course it never got built because politics and national bounderies got in the way but at least the bloke was trying.
Also
pollen grains are fascinating shapes when you see electron microscope pictures of them.
The
Nikkon small world gallery is worth a good look through also