Casa Cattaneo, Rationalist villa in Cernobbio, Italy.

Casa Cattaneo stands on the main street through Cernobbio's historic centre, on a rectangular lot between existing buildings. Its architecture is a play of parallelepipeds forming the living areas, balconies and a metal cage on the top floor. White horizontal bands and white pillars run along the south-west facade, where the golden ratio is applied. The double-height glazed ground floor was designed for a shop; the three upper floors hold flats, and the top flat has a large terrace framed by pillars, beams and wire mesh.

Cesare Cattaneo received the plot as a gift on the occasion of his 1935 degree, so he designed the building (1938–1939) free of client demands. The ground floor housed a shop, while the upper three floors held flats; the top-floor flat, originally the owner's, has three rooms and a terrace. The first floor now houses the Archivio Cattaneo.

The philosopher Franco Ciliberti called Casa Cattaneo one of the "two masterpieces of functional architecture", together with Terragni's Casa del Fascio. The ground floor, double height and fully glazed, was designed for a commercial activity, and the first floor now houses the Archivio Cattaneo, dedicated to the architect.

Visitors should arrange appointments beforehand to access the building, which now houses the Archivio Cattaneo and operates with restricted entry. It is best to contact ahead to find out when visits are possible.

The exterior walls are coated with cement plaster mixed with marble fragments, a choice made to create exceptional durability for the surface. This uncommon mixture protects the facade over time and shows the craftsmanship invested in the building.