However, it is usually terrible for maintenance. The exception is timber-framed buildings in which the wood structure is protected from the weather, but is massive and exposed. Air keeps it dry, eyeballs keep it inspected. Brick requires very little maintenance, ages beautifully, and modifies fairly easily. Old brick has a resale value allowing easy recycling.
Many designs are possible.
Older construction methods avoiding the cavity wall ties need to be used, however, or stainless-steel ties. Walls should be low maintenance rather than no maintenance. Vernacular buildings are ones built directly from experience with other buildings. This was formerly a regional practice but has become national and international. Vernacular buildings are exceedingly cautious and so immersed in their culture and region that they only look interesting to outsiders.