 Construction began in 1960 on a graded plateau in the Crestmoor district of San Bruno and took about two years to complete.The buildings, which are similar in design to those of Aragon High School, Hillsdale High School, and Mills High School, were constructed mostly of steel and glass, featuring expansion systems to provide earthquake resistance.The school, and its similarly designed schools, have been designed in an architectural style described as "postwar techno-optimism".