After working most of my career in open and semi-open offices, I realize now that cubicles are the most brilliant invention ever. I wish I worked in a cubicle farm. The noise is the easiest thing to deal with, but cubicles create some semblance of private space, where you don't feel the presence of other people so much.
Last time I had a cubicle, the desks were much smaller than in the open plan part of the office. Half my team got headaches within the first hour from sitting too close to our monitors.
