The idle-city-else labs of the Institute of Idle Curiosity for Elements of Seduction investigate aspects of the two ideological human interaction modes proposed by the Institute (see the scheme Blueprint for a New Humanism here). As these interaction modes are determined by a fundamentally different understanding of the meaning of 'intellectual solidarity' (being intellectual consolation for social and intellectual confrontation for political interactions), the labs n° 1 and 2 act independently, but inform each other of their progress by way of recurrent joint meetings.

The idle-city-else 1 lab researches the lifeworld 'at the periphery of social cohesion' and suggests that lifeworld by way of visual art. In practice, suggesting this lifeworld results in an expanding 'diorama of story stills' that is build up of paintings, photos, prints, decor installations, sound&vision scapes, screenplays and documentary photo books. The Institute's specific vision on visual art in this perspective can be read in this document (1 page).

The idle-city-else 2 lab researches the lifeworld 'at the transversals of political cohesion' and suggests that lifeworld in the form of working schemes and models. These schemes and models are approached as metaphorical diagrams or architectures in order to be able to represent specific concepts under investigation. In practice, these schemes and models are produced to serve the research done by the sister department The Academia. They are also used as visual tools to initiate and facilitate reflection and discussion with the outside world.