What is it that makes the story worth reading? It is the fine usage of language that is done through using the right sort of words. Vowels make the words sound right.

Architecture is a language. The language tells a story. The story establishes a narrative.

It is the presence of vowels in a word or a sentence that makes the experience of reading a desirable one. Architecture has its own set of vowels – seven of them:

1. Doors
2. Windows
3. Roof
4. Floor
5. Wall
6. Column
7. Stairs

Used together and in the right proportions, they can curate some extraordinary experiences. Much like linguistics, each vowel of architecture provides a unique sound/personality that gives out the best sort of a ring/facet to the body of work.

1. Doors
   “Anticipation is the word that can closely be tied to doors. They represent the space behind them. Doors tell stories through their sizes and proportions. Usually, a big door is a testament to a big space behind them and a smaller door does the same. In terms of experience, they are fundamentally thresholds that get you from one place to the other. They serve as portals to a new dimension (room/space) and provide experience to the users that help them transition.
2. Windows
   Windows provide the integration needed for one space to merge and to connect with the other. In simple words, connects the indoors to the outdoors. In order to get the best offerings from nature such as Natural light and fresh air, windows help provide that and can be used to control the use of it through scalability/size. Windows are essentially frames that bring in unique experiences from the connected spaces. Japanese ideology in design marks windows to help capture views from nature (such as mountains and landscapes) and the spaces are designed in a manner so that such things are framed when looked at from inside. The Jharokas from the Indian sub-continent work on the principle of privacy. The one standing inside it has the best views while a person on the street might not have so much.
3. Roof
   Roofs help define the silhouettes of a building. Their functional purpose is to provide shelter from sunlight, rain, and storm. A more conceptual manner of looking at it would be to say that it becomes a landscape for the activity taking place in the building — it encapsulates a place and makes it ideal to create a mood for human interaction. More often than not, it helps define the character of the building as well. Architects around the world have used roofs for the purpose of creating roof gardens and also storage facilities for water.
4. Floor
   In the spatial scheme of things, the floor is a very strong vowel. It helps mark zones and territories – without it, the definition of space becomes incomplete. The floor provides a base for the language of architecture, allows us to see things in a perspective, and at the same time, adds depth to a space through multiple levels – ultimately becoming a datum line. A void floor, open to the sky, can become a courtyard. The Piazzas in Italy would be a perfect example of this as they are open spaces in the city, yet the patterns on the floor help demarcate the space along with the fountains and center elements. These can serve as spaces for interactions even without the definition of walls and roofs.
5. Wall
   Walls define space. They are physical barriers that mark and enclose a space. In a border perspective, they give definition to an area and are the very rudimentary elements of space-making. In terms of visual and physical experience, walls have the ability to tell a story. Their size can evoke a feeling, texture can curate an experience and placements can tell direction. Their functionality and interaction can also be defined and determined through their placement. For e.g: a small wall could be utilized as a sitting bench while a giant, thick wall can well intimidate the audience. The Great Wall of China was one such symbol to demarcate Chinese territory from Mongolia. It’s built strong, it was a symbol of security and sovereignty against invaders looking for the riches of the land.
6. Column
   At the very basic, these are important structural elements but also equally important tools for storytelling. Through the centuries, they have communicated stories through markings, shadows, and definition. Each great civilization that has inhabited this planet has had its own unique ways of using the column. The Egyptians used the obelisk to honor their Gods and then later to be taken by the Romans, only to be evolved and used as symbols of victory that would showcase their victory and strength. The Greeks used Sundials, another use of columns, for the functional purpose of telling time. After the spread of Islam and the Muslim architecture developing, minarets were an important element. They helped with the visibility of mosques and also greatly helped with the “call to prayers” or Azaan.
7. Stairs
   Stairs are fun elements. They serve as thresholds, just like doors but also provide the feeling of ascension or dissension from one space to the other, signifying transition in spaces. Staircases have long been used as interactive objects that encourage human activity and could be used for purposes of communicating or just using them as a sitting space. In many practices, staircases have been used as ornate objects that add value to the spaces they are placed in. Le Corbusier, the famous Italian Master, used staircases as a sculpture in his designs which would add aesthetic value to them. Carlos Carpa also designed staircases that would serve as exhibition spaces in Venice, Italy. The staircase is a medium of communication through mediums and levels while also having a strong aesthetic value.