Yes, when you are new and not doing much work, and often asking your neighbors for help (as a junior person should!), the open offices are fine. (But team rooms are better) When you are trying to get work done, not so much.

> we have small cubicle-like mini-rooms ... but nothing stops you from working in there with your laptop.

That seems like a waste of the monstrously powerful workstations with 30" monitors

http://robert.love.usesthis.com/

> Ironically, the major source of annoyance in our floor recently has been the old AC system

If you weren't working in the HVAC room, you wouldn't hear that noise in your office (or it would be muffled)