> Why would Mark Z care about these surveys? Of those respondents that were dissatisfied, what did those workers who require private offices build that was great? He built a multi-billion dollar company with a cramped elbow-to-elbow open office.

Because companies shouldn't be planned for just a few years, while the initial excitement lasts. You'll be OK with discomfort if the benefits outweigh it, and in case of Facebook, I'm fairly certain this is what happened. When the work becomes less interesting and more traditional company like, you're toleration levels will start dropping as well. Early bird employees go and seek new challenges and the ones replacing them never experience the initial thrill only the vast, yet crowded, noisy, anti-privacy zone that is supposed to be the place to host extensive thinking.