diff --git a/app/[locale]/(site)/portfolio/[slug]/page.tsx b/app/[locale]/(site)/portfolio/[slug]/page.tsx
index f96a499..741b7ac 100644
--- a/app/[locale]/(site)/portfolio/[slug]/page.tsx
+++ b/app/[locale]/(site)/portfolio/[slug]/page.tsx
@@ -61,10 +61,7 @@ export default async function PortfolioItemPage({
 
   return (
     <>
-      <PageHero
-        title={getLocalizedValue(item.title, localeKey)}
-        description={getLocalizedValue(item.summary, localeKey)}
-      />
+      <PageHero />
 
       <Container size="wide" className="pb-12 lg:pb-16">
         <PortfolioProjectDetail
diff --git a/app/[locale]/coming-soon/page.tsx b/app/[locale]/coming-soon/page.tsx
index 2861c69..9394d86 100644
--- a/app/[locale]/coming-soon/page.tsx
+++ b/app/[locale]/coming-soon/page.tsx
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ import { Sparkles } from "lucide-react";
 import { getLocale, getTranslations } from "next-intl/server";
 
 import { FloatingPreferences } from "@/components/layout/floating-preferences";
-import { MotionFade } from "@/components/motion-fade";
-import { HeroShell, HeroTitle } from "@/components/layout/site-hero";
+import { HeroContentMotion, HeroMotionItem, HeroShell, HeroTitle } from "@/components/layout/site-hero";
 import { getSiteSettings } from "@/lib/app-config";
 import { buildLocalizedMetadata } from "@/lib/metadata";
 import { resolveLocale } from "@/lib/locale";
@@ -67,24 +66,30 @@ export default async function ComingSoonPage({
       <FloatingPreferences locale={localeKey} defaultLocale={siteSettings.defaultLocale} />
 
       <HeroShell className="min-h-screen" showBridges>
-        <MotionFade className="relative z-10 w-full">
+        <HeroContentMotion className="relative z-10 w-full">
           <div className="mx-auto max-w-[56rem] text-center">
-            <p className="inline-flex items-center gap-2 rounded-pill border border-foreground/8 bg-background/55 px-4 py-2 text-sm font-medium tracking-[0.08em] text-[hsl(var(--hero-ink)/0.84)] shadow-[var(--shadow-sm)] backdrop-blur-[18px] dark:border-foreground/10 dark:bg-background/20 dark:text-foreground/84">
-              <Sparkles className="h-3.5 w-3.5 text-brand-secondary" />
-              {t("kicker")}
-            </p>
+            <HeroMotionItem>
+              <p className="inline-flex items-center gap-2 rounded-pill border border-foreground/8 bg-background/55 px-4 py-2 text-sm font-medium tracking-[0.08em] text-[hsl(var(--hero-ink)/0.84)] shadow-[var(--shadow-sm)] backdrop-blur-[18px] dark:border-foreground/10 dark:bg-background/20 dark:text-foreground/84">
+                <Sparkles className="h-3.5 w-3.5 text-brand-secondary" />
+                {t("kicker")}
+              </p>
+            </HeroMotionItem>
 
             <HeroTitle locale={localeKey} lines={lines} className="mx-auto mt-8" />
 
-            <p className="mx-auto mt-8 max-w-[34rem] text-sm leading-7 text-foreground/68 sm:text-base">
-              {t("description")}
-            </p>
+            <HeroMotionItem>
+              <p className="mx-auto mt-8 max-w-[34rem] text-sm leading-7 text-foreground/68 sm:text-base">
+                {t("description")}
+              </p>
+            </HeroMotionItem>
 
-            <p className="mx-auto mt-4 max-w-[32rem] text-sm leading-6 text-foreground/54 sm:text-base">
-              {t("note")}
-            </p>
+            <HeroMotionItem>
+              <p className="mx-auto mt-4 max-w-[32rem] text-sm leading-6 text-foreground/54 sm:text-base">
+                {t("note")}
+              </p>
+            </HeroMotionItem>
           </div>
-        </MotionFade>
+        </HeroContentMotion>
       </HeroShell>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/app/_admin/portfolio/actions.ts b/app/_admin/portfolio/actions.ts
index 46c10f7..97c2c48 100644
--- a/app/_admin/portfolio/actions.ts
+++ b/app/_admin/portfolio/actions.ts
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ export async function deleteProjectAction(formData: FormData) {
     });
 
     if (!project) {
-      redirect(withMessage(getAdminAppPath("/portfolio"), "error", "Project not found."));
+      redirect(withMessage(getAdminAppPath("/portfolio"), "error", "Projekt nicht gefunden."));
     }
 
     await prisma.portfolioProject.delete({
diff --git a/app/globals.css b/app/globals.css
index 42648a9..53600e6 100644
--- a/app/globals.css
+++ b/app/globals.css
@@ -266,91 +266,21 @@ html[lang="ar"] {
     position: absolute;
     inset: 0;
     background:
-      radial-gradient(circle at 14% 18%, hsl(var(--hero-left) / 0.42), transparent 26%),
-      radial-gradient(circle at 84% 14%, hsl(var(--hero-right) / 0.28), transparent 24%),
-      radial-gradient(circle at 52% 84%, hsl(var(--hero-bottom) / 0.24), transparent 32%),
-      linear-gradient(180deg, hsl(var(--hero-base)), hsl(var(--background)) 88%);
-  }
-
-  .hero-blob {
-    position: absolute;
-    border-radius: 9999px;
-    filter: blur(110px);
-    will-change: transform, opacity;
-  }
-
-  .hero-blob-left {
-    left: -8%;
-    top: 8%;
-    height: 24rem;
-    width: 24rem;
-    background: radial-gradient(circle, hsl(var(--hero-left) / 0.48), transparent 68%);
-  }
-
-  .hero-blob-right {
-    right: -10%;
-    top: 2%;
-    height: 22rem;
-    width: 22rem;
-    background: radial-gradient(circle, hsl(var(--hero-right) / 0.36), transparent 70%);
-  }
-
-  .hero-blob-bottom {
-    left: 18%;
-    bottom: -10%;
-    height: 24rem;
-    width: 38rem;
-    background: radial-gradient(circle, hsl(var(--hero-bottom) / 0.32), transparent 70%);
-  }
-
-  .hero-sheet-glow {
-    position: absolute;
-    inset: -10% -8%;
-    background:
-      radial-gradient(circle at 18% 24%, hsl(var(--hero-left) / 0.24), transparent 18%),
-      radial-gradient(circle at 86% 18%, hsl(var(--hero-right) / 0.16), transparent 18%),
-      radial-gradient(circle at 50% 78%, hsl(var(--hero-bottom) / 0.14), transparent 24%);
-    filter: blur(36px);
-    will-change: transform, opacity;
-  }
-
-  .hero-sheet-wave {
-    position: absolute;
-    inset: -16% -10%;
-    background:
-      conic-gradient(
-        from 180deg at 50% 50%,
-        transparent 0deg,
-        hsl(var(--hero-left) / 0.08) 58deg,
-        transparent 120deg,
-        transparent 228deg,
-        hsl(var(--hero-right) / 0.1) 300deg,
-        transparent 360deg
-      );
-    filter: blur(90px);
-    mix-blend-mode: screen;
-    will-change: transform, opacity;
-  }
-
-  .hero-sheet-noise {
-    position: absolute;
-    inset: 0;
-    background-image:
-      linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03), rgba(255, 255, 255, 0)),
-      url("data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='160' height='160' viewBox='0 0 160 160'%3E%3Cfilter id='noise'%3E%3CfeTurbulence type='fractalNoise' baseFrequency='0.9' numOctaves='2' stitchTiles='stitch'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Crect width='160' height='160' filter='url(%23noise)' opacity='0.1'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");
-    background-size: auto, 160px 160px;
-    mix-blend-mode: soft-light;
-    opacity: 0.22;
-    will-change: background-position, opacity, transform;
+      radial-gradient(ellipse 90% 55% at 50% -5%, hsl(var(--hero-left) / 0.38), transparent),
+      radial-gradient(ellipse 55% 40% at 92% 10%, hsl(var(--hero-right) / 0.22), transparent),
+      radial-gradient(ellipse 60% 35% at 8% 15%, hsl(var(--hero-left) / 0.18), transparent),
+      linear-gradient(180deg, hsl(var(--hero-base)), hsl(var(--background)) 90%);
   }
 
   .hero-sheet-veil {
     position: absolute;
     inset: 0;
-    background:
-      linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08), rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.025) 44%, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0));
-    backdrop-filter: blur(20px) saturate(112%);
-    -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(20px) saturate(112%);
+    background: linear-gradient(
+      160deg,
+      rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.06) 0%,
+      rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.02) 40%,
+      rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 100%
+    );
   }
 
   .hero-sheet-fade {
@@ -439,20 +369,6 @@ html[lang="ar"] {
     background: linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.12), rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.06));
   }
 
-  @keyframes hero-title-shift {
-    0% {
-      background-position: 0% 50%;
-    }
-
-    50% {
-      background-position: 100% 50%;
-    }
-
-    100% {
-      background-position: 45% 100%;
-    }
-  }
-
   @keyframes hero-scroll-bob {
     0%,
     100% {
@@ -627,42 +543,3 @@ html[lang="ar"] {
   }
 }
 
-@media (min-width: 640px) {
-  .hero-blob-left {
-    height: 30rem;
-    width: 30rem;
-  }
-
-  .hero-blob-right {
-    height: 28rem;
-    width: 28rem;
-  }
-
-  .hero-blob-bottom {
-    height: 28rem;
-    width: 44rem;
-  }
-}
-
-@media (min-width: 1024px) {
-  .hero-blob-left {
-    left: -4%;
-    top: 10%;
-    height: 36rem;
-    width: 36rem;
-  }
-
-  .hero-blob-right {
-    right: -4%;
-    top: 0;
-    height: 34rem;
-    width: 34rem;
-  }
-
-  .hero-blob-bottom {
-    left: 14%;
-    bottom: -16%;
-    height: 32rem;
-    width: 52rem;
-  }
-}
diff --git a/components/admin/portfolio-project-form.tsx b/components/admin/portfolio-project-form.tsx
index 89cce35..d13d635 100644
--- a/components/admin/portfolio-project-form.tsx
+++ b/components/admin/portfolio-project-form.tsx
@@ -129,6 +129,14 @@ const sectionTypeOptions: PortfolioSectionType[] = [
   "LINK",
 ];
 
+const sectionTypeLabels: Record<PortfolioSectionType, string> = {
+  RICH_TEXT: "Rich Text",
+  GALLERY: "Gallery (image)",
+  STATS: "Stats (text)",
+  DELIVERABLES: "Deliverables (text)",
+  LINK: "Link",
+};
+
 const viewModeOptions: Array<{
   value: PortfolioProjectViewMode;
   label: string;
@@ -137,7 +145,7 @@ const viewModeOptions: Array<{
 }> = [
   { value: "GRID", label: "Grid", description: "Balanced modular layout.", icon: Grid2x2 },
   { value: "STORY", label: "Story", description: "Narrative section flow.", icon: BookOpenText },
-  { value: "CASE_STUDY", label: "Case Study", description: "Structured challenge and result view.", icon: BriefcaseBusiness },
+  { value: "CASE_STUDY", label: "Case Study", description: "Structured challenge/solution/outcome view. Sections 1–3 become the lead panels.", icon: BriefcaseBusiness },
 ];
 
 const wizardSteps: Array<{
@@ -1046,7 +1054,7 @@ export function PortfolioProjectForm({
                           <SelectContent>
                             {sectionTypeOptions.map((type) => (
                               <SelectItem key={type} value={type}>
-                                {type}
+                                {sectionTypeLabels[type]}
                               </SelectItem>
                             ))}
                           </SelectContent>
diff --git a/components/layout/hero-motion-backdrop.tsx b/components/layout/hero-motion-backdrop.tsx
index 8c2c44a..221a76b 100644
--- a/components/layout/hero-motion-backdrop.tsx
+++ b/components/layout/hero-motion-backdrop.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-"use client";
-
 type HeroMotionBackdropProps = {
   compact?: boolean;
 };
@@ -8,13 +6,6 @@ export function HeroMotionBackdrop({}: HeroMotionBackdropProps) {
   return (
     <div className="hero-sheet pointer-events-none absolute inset-0 overflow-hidden">
       <div className="hero-sheet-base" />
-      <div className="hero-blob hero-blob-left" />
-      <div className="hero-blob hero-blob-right" />
-      <div className="hero-blob hero-blob-bottom" />
-      <div className="hero-sheet-glow" />
-      <div className="hero-sheet-wave" />
-      <div className="hero-sheet-noise" />
-
       <div className="hero-sheet-veil" />
       <div className="hero-sheet-fade" />
     </div>
diff --git a/components/layout/page-hero.tsx b/components/layout/page-hero.tsx
index 23f6238..8c069d0 100644
--- a/components/layout/page-hero.tsx
+++ b/components/layout/page-hero.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { HeroContentMotion, HeroMotionItem, HeroShell, HeroTitle, type HeroTitle
 
 type PageHeroProps = {
   badge?: string;
-  title: string;
+  title?: string;
   description?: string;
   lines?: HeroTitleLineValue[];
   locale?: string;
@@ -33,13 +33,19 @@ function getDefaultLines(title: string): HeroTitleLineValue[] {
 }
 
 export function PageHero({ badge, title, description, lines, locale }: PageHeroProps) {
+  const resolvedLines = lines ?? (title ? getDefaultLines(title) : undefined);
+
   return (
     <HeroShell compactBackdrop variant="page">
       <HeroContentMotion variant="page">
-        <HeroMotionItem variant="page">
-          <HeroBadge>{badge ?? title}</HeroBadge>
-        </HeroMotionItem>
-        <HeroTitle lines={lines ?? getDefaultLines(title)} locale={locale} variant="page" />
+        {(badge ?? title) ? (
+          <HeroMotionItem variant="page">
+            <HeroBadge>{badge ?? title}</HeroBadge>
+          </HeroMotionItem>
+        ) : null}
+        {resolvedLines ? (
+          <HeroTitle lines={resolvedLines} locale={locale} variant="page" />
+        ) : null}
         {description ? (
           <HeroMotionItem variant="page">
             <p className="mx-auto mt-6 max-w-[34rem] text-base leading-7 text-foreground/72">
diff --git a/components/layout/site-hero.tsx b/components/layout/site-hero.tsx
index a8525b7..772039a 100644
--- a/components/layout/site-hero.tsx
+++ b/components/layout/site-hero.tsx
@@ -3,11 +3,28 @@
 import type { ReactNode } from "react";
 
 import { ArrowDown } from "lucide-react";
+import { motion } from "framer-motion";
 
 import { Container } from "@/components/layout/container";
 import { HeroMotionBackdrop } from "@/components/layout/hero-motion-backdrop";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
+const heroItemVariants = {
+  hidden: { opacity: 0, y: 16 },
+  visible: {
+    opacity: 1,
+    y: 0,
+    transition: { duration: 0.54, ease: [0.22, 1, 0.36, 1] as [number, number, number, number] },
+  },
+};
+
+const heroContainerVariants = {
+  hidden: {},
+  visible: {
+    transition: { staggerChildren: 0.13, delayChildren: 0.08 },
+  },
+};
+
 type HeroTone = "default" | "accent" | "soft";
 type HeroLineAlign = "start" | "center" | "end";
 
@@ -119,14 +136,27 @@ export function HeroContentMotion({
   children,
   className,
 }: HeroContentMotionProps) {
-  return <div className={className}>{children}</div>;
+  return (
+    <motion.div
+      className={className}
+      initial="hidden"
+      animate="visible"
+      variants={heroContainerVariants}
+    >
+      {children}
+    </motion.div>
+  );
 }
 
 export function HeroMotionItem({
   children,
   className,
 }: HeroContentMotionProps) {
-  return <div className={className}>{children}</div>;
+  return (
+    <motion.div className={className} variants={heroItemVariants}>
+      {children}
+    </motion.div>
+  );
 }
 
 export function HeroTitle({
@@ -147,7 +177,7 @@ export function HeroTitle({
   );
 
   return (
-    <h1 className={titleClassName}>
+    <motion.h1 className={titleClassName} variants={heroItemVariants}>
       {lines.map((line, index) => (
         <span
           key={`${index}-${line.text}`}
@@ -172,7 +202,7 @@ export function HeroTitle({
               )}
         </span>
       ))}
-    </h1>
+    </motion.h1>
   );
 }
 
diff --git a/components/site/portfolio-project-detail.tsx b/components/site/portfolio-project-detail.tsx
index 67bb2c9..e4bd014 100644
--- a/components/site/portfolio-project-detail.tsx
+++ b/components/site/portfolio-project-detail.tsx
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ function PortfolioImage({
       alt={alt}
       width={width}
       height={height}
-      unoptimized
       className={className}
     />
   );
@@ -121,11 +120,7 @@ function SectionBlock({
             height={880}
             className="h-72 w-full rounded-surface object-cover"
           />
-        ) : (
-          <div className="rounded-surface border border-dashed border-border px-4 py-12 text-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-            No image configured.
-          </div>
-        )}
+        ) : null}
       </div>
     );
   }
@@ -216,7 +211,7 @@ function AssetGallery({
 function BadgeCount({ count }: { count: number }) {
   return (
     <div className="rounded-pill border border-border/70 bg-background px-4 py-2 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-      {count}
+      {count} {count === 1 ? "file" : "files"}
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/lib/portfolio.ts b/lib/portfolio.ts
index c420d46..7a8b887 100644
--- a/lib/portfolio.ts
+++ b/lib/portfolio.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import type {
   PortfolioSection,
 } from "@prisma/client";
 
+import { cache } from "react";
+
 import { getPortfolioMediaBindings } from "@/lib/media";
 import type { AppLocale } from "@/lib/locale";
 import { prisma } from "@/lib/prisma";
@@ -329,7 +331,7 @@ export async function getPublishedPortfolioProjects(filters?: { categorySlug?: s
   return projects.map((project) => mapProject(project));
 }
 
-export async function getPublishedPortfolioProjectBySlug(slug: string) {
+export const getPublishedPortfolioProjectBySlug = cache(async function (slug: string) {
   const project = await prisma.portfolioProject.findFirst({
     where: {
       slug,
@@ -350,7 +352,7 @@ export async function getPublishedPortfolioProjectBySlug(slug: string) {
   });
 
   return project ? mapProject(project) : null;
-}
+});
 
 export async function getAdminPortfolioProjectById(id: string) {
   const project = await prisma.portfolioProject.findUnique({