I think your phrase that resonated most with me was the need for an "open flow of information". This is key because it's more than just getting answers to your questions from your colleagues. It's more than just working together on a document or presentation. There's that intangible that existed in the traditional cubicle workspace that's incredibly vital to keep especially with agile, mobile work forces. There was so much serendipitous discovery related to work while colleagues and I went for a walk to get coffee, when out together for lunch, or were just informally conversing. That's the power of the people! And if that flow of collaboration is "open" and being fed by the people, there's no reason why it can't be replicated in the remote sense with the right collaboration tools. But it's a very different way of thinking and collaborating, and to pay another homage to Mr. Darwin, requires an evolution in its own right.