The New Jersey barrier, first applied in 1959, has become a symbol of the modern highway. It is an icon of security, a protector of the traffic-flow. It implies the limits of circulation. The barrier is the riverbank of the highway stream. It perfectly summarizes the highway interchange at Machelen, the connection between the ring road of Brussels (R0) and the highway towards Antwerp, after part of it was abandoned soon after construction and used for the storage of concrete barriers. Hundreds of blocks were stacked here and became witnesses of this once very prestigious project to connect Brussels and Antwerp with a twelve lane super-highway.  

At the same time, the forrest surrounding the interchange started to grow. Being completely cut of from the accessible world by bridges, flyovers and asphalt, the trees and plants had nothing to keep them from expanding. 

The nature on these tiny islands in a wasteland of concrete, free from any threat, was not contained by the highway. It follows its own flow, it has its own limits. 

Now, the tree holds the barrier in the air, like a trophy.