It may look like it’s been hit by an earthquake, but this building in Hammersmith is actually a work of art.

The eye-catching "torn brick" effect on the front of the new Assembly London development in Fulham Palace Road has been turning heads following its unveiling this week.

The 10-tonne sculpture, entitled Six Pins and Half a Dozen Needles, is the first permanent installation by “architectural illusionist” Alex Chinneck.

The artist has blended his latest work into the surrounding building using 4,000 matching bricks and, beneath the surface, 1,000 stainless steel supports holding it together.

It took him 14 months to complete, working with engineers, steelworkers and brick-makers.

“The work was conceived to engage people in a fun and uplifting way,” Mr Chinneck said.

“Although we use real brick, it was designed with a cartoon-like quality to give the sculpture an endearing artifice and playful personality.”

The sculpture took 14 months to complete
The sculpture took 14 months to complete

His previous pop-up projects include an upside-down electricity pylon, a melting house made from wax bricks, an upside-down house in Blackfriars and a stone building in Covent Garden which appears to hover.

A spokesman for Hammersmith and Fulham Council said: “The unveiling of the sculpture has left motorists and passengers on the top deck of the 220 bus open-mouthed.

The artwork has left passers-by "open-mouthed"
The artwork has left passers-by "open-mouthed"

“At first glance, it looks as if the new building is in the process of splitting in half.”

The Assembly London development, on the site of the former HarperCollins headquarters, is an “urban campus” containing offices, restaurants, shops and public spaces.

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