The concept of a Structurally Tailored and Engineered Macromolecular gel (STEM gel) is presented. A STEM gel is comprised of a network with latent initiating sites allowing for the post-synthesis, spatially specific modification of the matrix. A direct synthetic method was employed and photo-active STEM gels based on (meth)acrylates were synthesized by free radical copolymerization of different monomers, a crosslinker, and a photo-active dormant initiator/monomer (inimer) based on the radical photoinitiator 2-hydroxy-4'-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-2-methylpropiophenone (Irgacure 2959). Infiltration by a solution of a crosslinker was followed by the UV triggered polymerization of secondary polymeric chains. Irradiation through masks with different transmittance resulted in materials with spatially differentiated mechanical properties. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.