A novel computational surface engineering framework is developed to design micro-textures which can optimize the macroscopic response of hydrodynamically lubricated interfaces. All macroscopic objectives are formulated and analyzed within a homogenization-based two-scale setting and the micro-texture design is achieved through topology optimization schemes. Two non-standard aspects of this multiscale optimization problem, namely the temporal and spatial variations in the homogenized response of the micro-texture, are individually addressed. Extensive numerical investigations demonstrate the ability of the framework to deliver optimal micro-texture designs as well as the influence of major problem parameters. © 2017, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.