Well, the whole problem with design (no matter the level of its intelligence) is that it is simply something that humans recognize as a pattern. Especially in their own activities. That is of course associated with intentionality which (as you say) is in turn extended on the whole cosmos. Yet, strictly speaking, there is no such thing as design in nature. On top of it (and being totally particular about it), there's neither creation nor intelligence. Those are all human concepts / patterns, too.

As it seems, when we talk about universe prior planets and matter we both talk about different things. You seem to talk about the pre big bang (or pre inflation -- depending on which view you subscribe to) while I mean strictly the first fractions of second as pre-matter and few hundreds of thousands of years (CMB) as pre-planetary.

That being said, for quantum level intelligent energy (and you must include mass) you already need space (physics is quite well aware of that). And the debate on where this spacetime foam comes from is pretty lively AFAICT and not constrained to those with mystical perspective. So, to me (and as it seems I'm not alone) the real question is whether this "quantum level intelligent energy" is, as you suggest, really the most basic layer of reality? Well, that question is more or less rhetorical, because I'm certain that it is not the case.