Discoveries of unique adhesive and frictional properties in biological attachment systems have, over the past two decades, demonstrated how near-surface architecture at lengths between the molecular (a few nm) and continuum (mm) scales can be used to achieve interesting and unique surface mechanical properties. This has spurred considerable research activity in design of meso-scale, near-surface architecture (typically at micron to mm length scales). This talk will present some of our group’s contributions to this field, including design and understanding of film-terminated fibrillar structures for adhesion and friction enhancement, shape-complementary interfaces for controlled adhesion and friction, enhancement of elasto-hydrodynamic friction by surfaces with periodic modulation of properties, and understanding of transitions in lubricated friction of soft solids.