Intelligent hydrogel networks have been applied as functional components of various micro- and nanodevices for biomedical and biochemical applications. Conventional methods of the semiconductor industry have been successfully employed for the patterning of such networks in devices with XY control, but the methods for fabricating precise 3-D patterns of hydrogels at the micro- and nanoscale over material surfaces and devices are limited. By amalgamating microcontact printing for XY control and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) for Z (thickness) control, precise patterns of environmentally responsive hydrogels (e.g., N-isopropylacrylamide based systems) have been synthesized over gold and silicon surfaces with 3-D control. The controlled growth and the responsive behavior of the gels to external stimuli were characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Using this method, it is possible to synthesize hydrogels over various surfaces for potential applications in the biomedical field.