Business Segments - Segment Reporting, Reconciliation of Revenues, Operating Income and Assets (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 436,764,000	$ 423,058,000	$ 410,693,000	$ 479,971,000	$ 506,108,000	$ 492,942,000	$ 492,012,000	$ 469,456,000	$ 1,750,486,000	$ 1,960,518,000	$ 1,421,771,000
Consolidated net earnings (loss)									353,049,000	(30,472,000)	(157,938,000)
General and administrative expenses									(229,207,000)	(228,068,000)	(195,161,000)
Depreciation and amortization									(648,668,000)	(724,262,000)	(542,419,000)
Merger, acquisition and other integration expenses										(80,676,000)	(140,495,000)
Impairment of real estate properties										(252,914,000)	(21,237,000)
Earnings from unconsolidated entities, net									97,220,000	31,676,000	59,935,000
Interest expense									(379,327,000)	(505,215,000)	(466,571,000)
Interest and other income, net									26,948,000	22,878,000	12,008,000
Gains on acquisitions and dispositions of investments in real estate, net									597,656,000	305,607,000	111,684,000
Foreign currency and derivative gains (losses), net									(33,633,000)	(20,497,000)	41,172,000
Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt, net									(277,014,000)	(14,114,000)	258,000
Impairment of other assets										(16,135,000)	(126,432,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									336,262,000	(102,817,000)	(273,168,000)
Total assets	24,572,307,000				27,310,145,000				24,572,307,000	27,310,145,000
Assets held for sale	4,042,000				26,027,000				4,042,000	26,027,000
Cash and cash equivalents	491,129,000				100,810,000				491,129,000	100,810,000	176,072,000	37,634,000
United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues									1,100,000,000	1,100,000,000	800,000,000
Long-lived assets attributable to the United States	15,900,000,000				14,900,000,000				15,900,000,000	14,900,000,000
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues									1,750,486,000	1,960,518,000	1,421,771,000
Consolidated net earnings (loss)									1,182,287,000	1,378,903,000	994,090,000
Total assets	19,190,865,000				24,543,912,000				19,190,865,000	24,543,912,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues									1,571,014,000	1,833,739,000	1,284,152,000
Consolidated net earnings (loss)									1,092,094,000	1,315,944,000	911,433,000
Total assets	19,104,750,000				24,452,165,000				19,104,750,000	24,452,165,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Investment Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues									179,472,000	126,779,000	137,619,000
Consolidated net earnings (loss)									90,193,000	62,959,000	82,657,000
Total assets	86,115,000				91,747,000				86,115,000	91,747,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Americas [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues									1,288,925,000	1,176,920,000	821,090,000
Consolidated net earnings (loss)									899,053,000	818,393,000	569,843,000
Total assets	16,293,109,000				15,236,921,000				16,293,109,000	15,236,921,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Americas [Member] | Investment Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues									72,474,000	69,422,000	76,872,000
Consolidated net earnings (loss)									18,785,000	31,637,000	42,644,000
Total assets	22,154,000				24,373,000				22,154,000	24,373,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Europe [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues									174,397,000	435,244,000	307,416,000
Consolidated net earnings (loss)									116,178,000	325,571,000	222,605,000
Total assets	1,634,867,000				5,738,245,000				1,634,867,000	5,738,245,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Europe [Member] | Investment Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues									63,794,000	37,047,000	46,087,000
Consolidated net earnings (loss)									41,263,000	21,699,000	30,708,000
Total assets	60,327,000				61,266,000				60,327,000	61,266,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Asia [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues									107,692,000	221,575,000	155,646,000
Consolidated net earnings (loss)									76,863,000	171,980,000	118,985,000
Total assets	1,176,774,000				3,476,999,000				1,176,774,000	3,476,999,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Asia [Member] | Investment Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues									43,204,000	20,310,000	14,660,000
Consolidated net earnings (loss)									30,145,000	9,623,000	9,305,000
Total assets	3,634,000				6,108,000				3,634,000	6,108,000
Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Consolidated net earnings (loss)									(846,025,000)	(1,481,720,000)	(1,267,258,000)
General and administrative expenses									(229,207,000)	(228,068,000)	(195,161,000)
Depreciation and amortization									(648,668,000)	(724,262,000)	(542,419,000)
Merger, acquisition and other integration expenses										(80,676,000)	(140,495,000)
Impairment of real estate properties										(252,914,000)	(21,237,000)
Earnings from unconsolidated entities, net									97,220,000	31,676,000	59,935,000
Interest expense									(379,327,000)	(505,215,000)	(466,571,000)
Interest and other income, net									26,948,000	22,878,000	12,008,000
Gains on acquisitions and dispositions of investments in real estate, net									597,656,000	305,607,000	111,684,000
Foreign currency and derivative gains (losses), net									(33,633,000)	(20,497,000)	41,172,000
Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt, net									(277,014,000)	(14,114,000)	258,000
Impairment of other assets										(16,135,000)	(126,432,000)
Investments in and advances to other unconsolidated entities	4,430,239,000				2,195,782,000				4,430,239,000	2,195,782,000
Notes receivable backed by real estate	188,000,000				188,000,000				188,000,000	188,000,000
Assets held for sale	4,042,000				26,027,000				4,042,000	26,027,000
Cash and cash equivalents	491,129,000				100,810,000				491,129,000	100,810,000
Other assets	268,032,000				255,614,000				268,032,000	255,614,000
Total reconciling items	$ 5,381,442,000				$ 2,766,233,000				$ 5,381,442,000	$ 2,766,233,000