I agree with the other posts. After working in one of these open environments there are drawbacks. It's a great idea in theory but in execution it has to be near perfect. It's very difficult to concentrate when there are no physical barriers to separate you from the rest of the world. Ad hoc meetings that take place adjacent to your work area, despite noise level, become visual distractions. Casual interruptions become more frequent and as a result a structured day starts to fall apart. Not all jobs flourish in a non structured manner.

If the office does not become a "collective" the unavoidable differences generate unnecessary stress. One persons clutter is stress for the neat freak and vice versa. A cube wall goes a long way to avoid such a simple conflict.

As the company grows the "collective" office space gets divided over and over again until employees begin to fight for what personal space they have left. Desks grow vertical barriers made out of house plants, stacks of files, and paper holders are attached to the sides of monitors. The personal workspace continues to close in on the employee and what once seemed like a great idea breeds a destructive culture.