Block-copolymer nanorods containing mesopore structures derived from confinement-induced nanoscopic morphologies were used as templates for atomic-layer deposition. Diffusion of the ALD precursors through the polymeric scaffold and deposition of ZnO on the walls of the internal mesopores yielded 1D ZnO nanostructures with hierarchical architectures containing helices and stacked doughnuts as structure motifs.