Two buildings in Southwest China's Guizhou province, the Guian New Area Fire Station and the Shui Cultural Center, have won prizes at the LEAF Awards 2018 in Frankfurt, Germany.

Designed by the Guizhou-based West-line Studio, the fire station and cultural centre bagged awards for the best mixed use building and public building respectively.

The LEAF Awards, founded in 2001, is an annual international architectural prize. It gives out awards for innovative architectural designs that set the benchmark for the next generation of the international architectural community. The prize was launched by the Leading European Architects Forum, which brings together leading international architects and designers to share knowledge and to develop new partnerships.

This is the first time LEAF awards have gone to Chinese architects, with the West-line Studio coming out top despite competition from famous architectural firms including Steven Holl Architects in the United States, German Schneider + Schumacher and Ian Ritchie Architects Limited in England.

The Guian New Area Fire Station, located in Southwest China's Guizhou province, was a winner in the LEAF Awards 2018. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]