Condensed consolidating financial information Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Revenues:
Rental	$ 161,638	$ 151,805	$ 319,914	$ 295,413
Tenant recoveries	54,107	49,594	106,704	97,988
Other income	10,331	2,757	15,547	7,508
Total revenues	226,076	204,156	442,165	400,909
Expenses:
Rental operations	67,325	62,250	133,162	123,473
General and administrative	15,384	14,989	30,572	29,376
Interest	25,025	26,668	49,880	49,904
Depreciation and amortization	70,169	62,171	141,035	121,091
Impairment of real estate	156,143	0	185,123	14,510
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	189	0	189
Total expenses	334,046	166,267	539,772	338,543
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated real estate joint ventures	(146)	541	(543)	1,115
Equity in loss of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations	(108,116)	38,430	(98,150)	63,481
Loss from discontinued operations	0	0	0	(43)
Net (loss) income	(108,116)	38,430	(98,150)	63,438
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(3,500)	(263)	(7,530)	(755)
Net (loss) income attributable to Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.’s stockholders	(111,616)	38,167	(105,680)	62,683
Dividends on preferred stock	(5,474)	(6,246)	(11,381)	(12,493)
Preferred stock redemption charge	(9,473)	0	(12,519)	0
Net income attributable to unvested restricted stock awards	(1,085)	(630)	(1,886)	(1,113)
Net (loss) income attributable to Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.’s common stockholders	(127,648)	31,291	(131,466)	49,077
Eliminations
Revenues:
Rental	0	0	0	0
Tenant recoveries	0	0	0	0
Other income	(3,129)	(4,177)	(6,725)	(7,975)
Total revenues	(3,129)	(4,177)	(6,725)	(7,975)
Expenses:
Rental operations	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	(3,129)	(4,177)	(6,725)	(7,975)
Interest	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Impairment of real estate	0	0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0		0
Total expenses	(3,129)	(4,177)	(6,725)	(7,975)
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated real estate joint ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity in loss of affiliates	171,692	(135,922)	102,359	(234,549)
Income from continuing operations				(234,549)
Loss from discontinued operations				0
Net (loss) income	171,692	(135,922)	102,359	(234,549)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.’s stockholders	171,692	(135,922)	102,359	(234,549)
Dividends on preferred stock	0	0	0	0
Preferred stock redemption charge	0		0
Net income attributable to unvested restricted stock awards	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.’s common stockholders	171,692	(135,922)	102,359	(234,549)
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (Issuer)
Revenues:
Rental	0	0	0	0
Tenant recoveries	0	0	0	0
Other income	2,934	3,509	6,009	6,535
Total revenues	2,934	3,509	6,009	6,535
Expenses:
Rental operations	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	15,338	13,223	29,656	25,449
Interest	20,189	19,867	39,411	37,024
Depreciation and amortization	1,661	1,469	3,275	2,716
Impairment of real estate	0	0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		189		189
Total expenses	37,188	34,748	72,342	65,378
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated real estate joint ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity in loss of affiliates	(77,362)	69,406	(39,347)	121,526
Income from continuing operations				62,683
Loss from discontinued operations				0
Net (loss) income	(111,616)	38,167	(105,680)	62,683
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.’s stockholders	(111,616)	38,167	(105,680)	62,683
Dividends on preferred stock	(5,474)	(6,246)	(11,381)	(12,493)
Preferred stock redemption charge	(9,473)		(12,519)
Net income attributable to unvested restricted stock awards	(1,085)	(630)	(1,886)	(1,113)
Net (loss) income attributable to Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.’s common stockholders	(127,648)	31,291	(131,466)	49,077
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, L.P. (Guarantor Subsidiary)
Revenues:
Rental	0	0	0	0
Tenant recoveries	0	0	0	0
Other income	28	0	24	(41)
Total revenues	28	0	24	(41)
Expenses:
Rental operations	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Interest	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Impairment of real estate	0	0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0		0
Total expenses	0	0	0	0
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated real estate joint ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity in loss of affiliates	(92,493)	65,246	(61,814)	110,836
Income from continuing operations				110,795
Loss from discontinued operations				0
Net (loss) income	(92,465)	65,246	(61,790)	110,795
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.’s stockholders	(92,465)	65,246	(61,790)	110,795
Dividends on preferred stock	0	0	0	0
Preferred stock redemption charge	0		0
Net income attributable to unvested restricted stock awards	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.’s common stockholders	(92,465)	65,246	(61,790)	110,795
Combined Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues:
Rental	161,638	151,805	319,914	295,413
Tenant recoveries	54,107	49,594	106,704	97,988
Other income	10,498	3,425	16,239	8,989
Total revenues	226,243	204,824	442,857	402,390
Expenses:
Rental operations	67,325	62,250	133,162	123,473
General and administrative	3,175	5,943	7,641	11,902
Interest	4,836	6,801	10,469	12,880
Depreciation and amortization	68,508	60,702	137,760	118,375
Impairment of real estate	156,143	0	185,123	14,510
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0		0
Total expenses	299,987	135,696	474,155	281,140
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated real estate joint ventures	(146)	541	(543)	1,115
Equity in loss of affiliates	(1,837)	1,270	(1,198)	2,187
Income from continuing operations				124,552
Loss from discontinued operations				(43)
Net (loss) income	(75,727)	70,939	(33,039)	124,509
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(3,500)	(263)	(7,530)	(755)
Net (loss) income attributable to Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.’s stockholders	(79,227)	70,676	(40,569)	123,754
Dividends on preferred stock	0	0	0	0
Preferred stock redemption charge	0		0
Net income attributable to unvested restricted stock awards	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.’s common stockholders	$ (79,227)	$ 70,676	$ (40,569)	$ 123,754