The architecture of City Hall is to be the focus of Roof Week, an annual observance designed to highlight the uniqueness of the Bermuda structure and its continued role in the concept of sustainable development.

The events, organised by Imagine Bermuda 2009 in conjunction with the Bermuda National Trust and OBM International Ltd., kick off tomorrow with a faith-based ceremony celebrating a safe end to the hurricane season and the "creativity and ingenuity" of those residents who created the Bermuda roof more than 300 years ago.

"On Monday we are planning a celebration at the City Hall," said Imagine member Glenn Fubler. "It will be premised on the fact that this building remains a classic example of local architecture for our rapidly-changing capital, Hamilton."

Artisans responsible for the building's creation will be honoured as part of the event. This week, the Mid-Ocean News spoke with two men involved in the project ¿ Les Barrett and George Phipps. "I was the superintendent in charge of construction," said Mr. Barrett, "which means I laid out the job. I controlled the men. I controlled the supplies."

He arrived in Bermuda approximately 50 years ago, hired out of the UK by the managing director of his company there, who also had a business relationship on the island.

"I served an apprenticeship as a bricklayer," Mr. Barrett explained as he recalled the events leading to his involvement with City Hall which opened in 1960.

"I started with a firm, served my apprenticeship as a bricklayer, went into the Army for two years' conscription, saw service in Malaysia, came back to the firm and then I went into the office to study for ¿ and subsequently (passed) ¿ an examination called the (Chartered) Institute of Building.

"I worked for a firm of private contractors in England called Kirk & Kirk. There was a company, Post Andrews (Ltd.) here ¿ an American fellow called Charlie Post and an Englishman called William Andrews and a third one was my managing director, Jonathan Drury. He had a house in Tucker's Town and flew between England and Bermuda and they started up the business Post Andrews."

It was Mr. Drury, Mr. Barrett explained, who asked him to "come out here and take control of the construction".

Approximately 50 men worked under him on the site. Mr. Phipps, a carpenter, was hired to complete a specific project ¿ the installation of the 91-foot tower and its weathervane depicting Sir George Somers' shipwrecked Sea Venture.

"I worked several places prior to City Hall," the veteran craftsman said. "I worked on the (what is now the) Supermart on Front Street. I worked on the (Government) clinic by People's Pharmacy. I worked Lantana, the Par-la-Ville car park."

His mental timeline is sketchy Mr. Phipps admitted, but he is certain his involvement was limited to that one aspect of the building.

"Fifty years ago is not yesterday you know," he declared, "but I'm sure the only part that I really had any responsibility for was the tower. Right on top of the tower there is a copper boat, which is a wind gauge. It adjusts the hands to indicate the wind direction. That's the only thing I was really responsible for - the steel in the tower."

According to Mr. Barrett, the project lasted about two years ¿ and was not completed on time.

"The Queen and Prince Philip came out here and it was supposed to be finished so that they could officially open it but it wasn't."

Designed by Bermudian architect Wilfred Onions, the beauty of City Hall wasn't initially appreciated by the entire populace.

"I think the architect would be very pleased that people are honouring it," said Mr. Barrett. "Having participated in it, I'm very happy to hear that it's been accepted because there was a little adverse criticism about it at first."

Asked what they thought of the style then, Mr. Phipps and Mr. Barrett insisted they were too busy working to form an opinion.

"It was nothing to do with me," stated the former superintendent. "I had no feelings one way or the other ¿ it was just a job. The only thing I was told was that the architect modelled it on a Bermuda cottage. I wasn't there to adjudicate on its architectural scope. I was there to build it."

Mr. Phipps agreed: "I just thought of the work at that time."

Because of their first-hand knowledge of the craftsmanship behind its making, neither man was surprised that the structure is still standing nearly 50 years later.

"That roof alone," recalled the carpenter. "It was so well built. There were a lot of trusses used to build that roof."

Mr. Barrett explained the terminology: "(A truss) is a frame made out of four by sixes and six by sixes. You'd have several of these with about 12, 15-foot centres and then your purlins would go on top of the trusses and your rafters would go on top of the purlins and the weight of the roof would then be transmitted to the purlins.

"The purlins themselves didn't sit on the stone walls, they sat on reinforced concrete columns. You couldn't have had rafters that length to take the weight of the roof ¿ which is Bermuda stone.

"You don't think about how long these things will last until you look back ¿ and then you realise it was (nearly) 50 years ago. And I would say, looking at it now, it will probably last at least another 50 years. I am proud of it in the same way one is proud of any job that they take part in. It's all part of your experience and part of your life."

Of interest to Mr. Phipps was how an older building blends well with today's modern landscape.

"It was designed in the Bermuda style but it was very advanced for that time," he said. "It wasn't built in the architectural style of that time but it still had Bermuda features. And after 50 years you can see the beauty of it. It's a beautiful building. And it really looks Bermudian. As old as it is, it looks advanced."

Monday's celebration runs from 12.30 p.m. until 2 p.m. at City Hall and will see acknowledgement paid to the island's "elder carpenters, masons and stonecutters as we celebrate our tradition of craftsmanship at City Hall", Mr. Fubler added.

Also planned is the unveiling of a display case containing tools used to construct City Hall, a tour of the building highlighting various features and a slide presentation by Henry Ming on the evolution of Bermuda architecture.

"We are encouraging residents to spend some 'family time' highlighting the significance of the roof over their head and take the opportunity to encourage a sense of appreciation for this aspect of our heritage that we all enjoy," Mr. Fubler concluded.