We design architected materials such as photonic crystals and metamaterials to precisely control light and unlock new regimes of light-matter interaction. Our designs are often inspired by nature and increasingly guided by AI, accelerating discovery and enabling unprecedented functionality. In parallel, our light-driven manipulation strategies provide sustainable, on-demand fabrication of complex architectures across scales, from nanoscale features to large-area platforms. Advanced characterization tools link structure to function, revealing both single-nanostructure behavior and collective emergent phenomena.