In 2003 i started sketching a design for a client on the Simonstown mountainside - I take architectural design from an outside first inwards architectural design approach. Most designers work from a plan layout outwards approach. However i feel the end products aesthetics must work first, before one tries to create the layout plans. Fitting architecture to plan has its own set of aesthetic challenges.
Walling and roofing a plan if an architectural designer doesn't know what they are doing, to my mind, can create very dull massive roof scape end products. So sketching the end product first has really always been my process.