Coco Raynes, born and educated in France, founded Coco Raynes Associates, Inc. in 1969. The multi-disciplinary design firm specializes in Environmental Graphics, Exhibits, Donor Recognition and Corporate Identities, and has developed major programs in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Her philosophy to work beyond minimum requirements – in regard to quality, aesthetics, and client expectations – has resulted in many innovative designs.Her adaptable creative skills have been applied to a wide range of projects: from the master plan for wayfinding and information at Battery Park City, a six million square foot area of parks and neighborhoods in Manhattan, NY, to the Black and Decker World Headquarters in Towson, Maryland, the St Regis Hotel in New York, the Boston Police Headquarters, U.S. Courthouses, and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston. International projects include the Dragon Valley Resort Hotel in Korea, the Bosphorus Swissotel in Istanbul, the Arab American Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and the Aga Khan University Faculty of Arts and Sciences in Pakistan. She is a pioneer in the field of Universal Design, and in the late 80's developed the Raynes Rail, the patented Braille and Audio Handrail System. The product was followed by a vocabulary and manufacturing techniques for tactile maps on glass. Her work has opened National Museums to blind visitors in France and in South America. She also created a multi-sensory and multi-lingual information system for Charles de Gaulle Airport, and the award winning multi sensory identity for the United States Access Board.She has received many prestigious awards including the Gold Award from the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) in 1994, Honor Awards from the Society of Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD) in 1994 and 2002, the CLIO Award in 2003, the Women in Design Award of Excellence from the Boston Society of Architects in 2006, and two Silver Awards from International Design in 2012.