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Description
Modeled in 3dsMax, rendered in LuxRender (v1.0).

The concept and techniques to create this sphere web are quite simple, but CPU intensive. Perhaps there's an easier way (like using Topmod or some other app), but I decided to try it in 3dsmax. Here's just a brief overview of how this shape was made:

The production started with a sphere consisting of 32 segments, with the faces surrounding each pole selected, and then removed; leaving behind a hollow sphere, with holes at the top and bottom poles. Then I re-topologized the surface tessellation using the "skin" option in the Topology tools panel under the Graphite Modeling Tools. Doing that creates the basic "webbing" tessellation you need to get the final look. From there, I put a shell modifier to create inner depth, with up to 4 segments (depending on how much detail you want to the inner webbing). Then all the faces were selected, inset just a little, and then removed to create the "holes". Then another shell modifier set to "outer" was used to create some thickness to the framework. Finally, I ended with a Meshsmooth modifier. The stack could get quite deep as you go, and could really slow down your system. The end result, however, turned out pretty cool. In this case, I also added a Relax and Push modifier to the outer edges to make them more "pointy". I suppose variations of this technique could be used with different modifiers in various parts of the stack to produce all sorts of cool and different results.

Description
Modeled in 3dsMax, rendered in LuxRender (v1.0).

The concept and techniques to create this sphere web are quite simple, but CPU intensive. Perhaps there's an easier way (like using Topmod or some other app), but I decided to try it in 3dsmax. Here's just a brief overview of how this shape was made:

The production started with a sphere consisting of 32 segments, with the faces surrounding each pole selected, and then removed; leaving behind a hollow sphere, with holes at the top and bottom poles. Then I re-topologized the surface tessellation using the "skin" option in the Topology tools panel under the Graphite Modeling Tools. Doing that creates the basic "webbing" tessellation you need to get the final look. From there, I put a shell modifier to create inner depth, with up to 4 segments (depending on how much detail you want to the inner webbing). Then all the faces were selected, inset just a little, and then removed to create the "holes". Then another shell modifier set to "outer" was used to create some thickness to the framework. Finally, I ended with a Meshsmooth modifier. The stack could get quite deep as you go, and could really slow down your system. The end result, however, turned out pretty cool. In this case, I also added a Relax and Push modifier to the outer edges to make them more "pointy". I suppose variations of this technique could be used with different modifiers in various parts of the stack to produce all sorts of cool and different results.