CHAPTER 1

The classical dichotomy between structure and materials to meet design requirements has led to separate routes, microstructure optimization and shape optimization. The increasing demand on a combination of properties in materials, and the required multi‐functionality in present‐day design can often no longer be met with ‘classical materials’. Architectured materials are a combination of material(s), shape and topology, at length scales comparable to the scale of the components. These materials offer an alternative strategy for ‘materials by design’. The occurrence of several length scales and the central role of geometry in this new class of materials, as well as the hierarchical structure often seen in biomaterials, suggest that bio‐inspiration could be an interesting approach to the development of this innovative strategy.