The coming wave of urban villages?

Our rapidly changing digital information technologies are reckoned by some to be a force that will radically change settlement patterns. One scenario put forth is that of an era in which people work wherever they choose but live in small neighbourly and well-thought-out communities - urban villages. The argument made in this article is that this will not happen until we harness more effectively the potential of these technologies. Once this is accomplished, a wave of urban villages could happen. But if it comes, it will be more of a trickle than a wave, at least for a while, largely because of the continued importance of face-to-face contact in a good deal of business activity.