For the architecture, one section at a time. Other sections can later be stacked against the first as needed. Whatever shape is needed. Square sections are the easiest to line up and lay out. It's difficult to avoid a 'grid' look that way, though.

Characters/props can be made at any time. I don't mean they aren't important. I mean that they aren't really dependent on a village layout. They could really be used with even a single building or view as a backdrop. Or only a simple, or even no, backdrop at all, if the render is a portrait.

Friends don't let friends use booleans.