During the conceptual design phase, an architect should primarily focus on:

During the conceptual design phase, the primary focus of an architect is on sketching various ideas and solving the client's needs. This phase is crucial for exploring multiple design possibilities and conceptualizing how the building can meet the requirements and aspirations of the client. By generating a range of ideas, the architect begins to visualize the project, allowing for experimentation with different forms, materials, and spatial arrangements.

This process involves understanding the client's vision, functional requirements, and site-specific challenges, which makes it essential to prioritize problem-solving and creative ideation. By engaging in brainstorming and sketching, the architect can develop innovative solutions that address both aesthetic values and practical needs, laying down a solid foundation for subsequent design stages.

Focusing on gathering opinions from multiple stakeholders can be beneficial but should be secondary to the idea generation process during this initial phase. Final visual appeal is a consideration that usually comes later in the process when more defined concepts are developed. Similarly, minimizing the number of design concepts would be premature and counterproductive, as generating a broad array of ideas is critical to finding the best solutions.