​The buildings in ruins in Senegal: between heritage menace and modernisation challenges 

  Senegal, the cultural crossroads of West Africa, has a rich but fragile architectural heritage, a silent witness to the different epochs that have shaped its history. From colonial buildings to post-independence constructions, many are the buildings that fall today in ruins, victims of time, negligence and real estate pressures. This article explores the situation of these buildings in danger, the challenges of their preservation and the initiatives to safeguard the Senegalese architectural memory. The sad fate of historical monuments in Dakar Dakar, the capital in full expansion, is gradually disappearing from its historical architectural heritage. Some emblematic buildings such as the Sandaga market and the maternity hospital of Le Dantec have already been demolished, despite their historical and cultural value. Built in 1933, the Sandaga market was a jewel of neo-Sudanese architecture, inspired by the Sahelian mosques, with its characteristic turrets and its social role as a meeting place. Its destruction in 2021 symbolises the growing tension between urban modernisation and heritage preservation. L’Hôpital Le Dantec, with its elegant white building with modern windows and vivid red colonnades, will suffer the same fate in 2022.