This Highlight provides a concise review of several useful concepts in the targeted synthesis of a series of crystalline, porphyrin-based supramolecular arrays, employing suitably activated building blocks. Different modes of the supramolecular assembly are demonstrated, exploiting the functionality and directionality of the recognition groups, the square-planar geometry of the porphyrin macrocycle, and the use of external metal ions and organic ligands for induced coordination and organization. The results provide new insights into the designed formulation of molecular-sieve-type architectures in organic crystals.