Preferential compactness of networks

We introduce evolving networks where new vertices preferentially connect to the more central parts of a network. This makes such networks compact. Finite networks grown under the preferential compactness mechanism have complex architectures, but infinite ones tend towards the opposite, having rapidly decreasing distributions of connections. We present an analytical solution of the problem for tree-like networks. Our approach links a collective self-optimization mechanism of the emergence of complex network architectures to self-organization mechanisms.