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I really understood the sense of that quote more after reading the interview. I might add that was a rather nice interview … more like a conversation between friends.

I always appreciate these occasional Alexander bits, like little poems. I think it was a post of yours from years ago, Ryan, that turned me on to his writing, and it literally changed my life. I keep book 3 of the Nature of Order always open on my desk, just to flip through and reflect upon.

The thing here is: what is the sketch? Is it an end-product in itself? Or is it merely a stepping stone; a vehicle for the architect’s intent?

As soon as we try to convey our design concepts with drawings or code there is the chance that what you DID is not what you INTENDED .

http://nomorehacks.wordpress.com/2008/07/18/there-is-no-design-but-the-code/

excellent quote, great interview. his concepts represent such a cultural shift in how we produce things, and i think form part of the bedrock needed to transform from a culture of excessive consumption and waste to one where objects truly serve the needs of people, and are sensitive to the context in which they exist.

Architectural visualization does carry great weight in the decisions of planners and developers but many of them have moved far far beyond the sketch. Take a look at the cutting edge visualizations of Focus360 for a more up-to-date understanding of how design can play out.