masonry
A load-bearing frame composed of many small solid units stacked or piled on top of each other.
Pictured: Cape Florida Lighthouse
A masonry framework is a load-bearing structure composed of bricks, stones, or other small-to-medium sized discrete pieces of solid material stacked or piled over each other, and usually joined by mortar or some other bonding agent.
Masonry is historically very common as a frame material. Along with wood, it is the dominant framing material for older structures (up to the late 19th century), and is still extremely common although mainly for smaller buildings. It is occasionally used for buildings over 5 stories tall, and rarely but sometimes used in high-rise construction.
It is not necessarily possible to discern a masonry structure by looking at the facade. Many buildings with masonry facades have internal framing systems of reinforced concrete, steel, or other materials.
