Systems and methods for massive model visualization in product data management (PDM) systems. A method includes storing a hierarchical product data structure by a product data management (PDM) system, including a plurality of occurrence nodes and component nodes. The method includes receiving a query that references an occurrence node and at least one cell index value and determining a query result corresponding to the query. The query result identifies at least one occurrence node that corresponds to the cell index value. The method includes forming a query result chain corresponding to the query result, the query result chain filtered by a structural criterion, and applying a configuration rule to the filtered query result chain to identify child nodes of the filtered query result chain that conform to the configuration rule, and thereby producing a configured spatial retrieval result.