CSS-like dynamic properties cascading configuration table?
I think you are describing an EAV model.
Data driven systems arent uncommon. But if the design allows the application to change without altering the schema then you're talking about EAV.
The advantage of this is that non-technical users can extend or customise an application and add attributes or fields without changing the actual schema.
The downside is that you rely on the app to enforce integrity and datatyping. Performance suffers too.
In my experience you see less of these as xml &amp; json have become more prolific.
Have a read of the various database design models at the bottom of this wikipedia page