Business Segments - Segment Reporting, Reconciliation of Revenues, Operating Income and Assets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 1,148,316	$ 978,241
Operating income	532,197	468,057
General and administrative expenses	78,032	69,689
Depreciation and amortization expenses	397,575	345,970
Gains on dispositions of development properties and land, net	173,643	162,750
Gains on other dispositions of investments in real estate, net	16,623	31,491
Earnings from unconsolidated entities, net	67,049	88,730
Interest expense	(71,281)	(75,642)
Interest and other income, net	4,746	370
Foreign currency and derivative gains, net	80,152	113,329
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net	(187,453)	(42,767)
Earnings before income taxes	425,410	552,077
Total assets	55,732,809		$ 56,065,005
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	7,514,840		7,602,014
Assets held for sale or contribution	1,055,751		1,070,724
Cash and cash equivalents	676,074	807,871	598,086	$ 1,088,855
Other assets	2,850,603		2,949,009
Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	46,045,610		46,390,991
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	817,538	689,475
Total assets	46,084,153		46,429,882
Operating Segments [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,028,355	881,650
Operating income	747,027	639,458
Operating Segments [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	119,961	96,591
Operating income	70,511	50,017
Total assets	38,543		38,891
Operating Segments [Member] | U.S. [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	975,083	829,383
Operating income	709,303	602,604
Total assets	42,337,749		42,559,023
Operating Segments [Member] | U.S. [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	33,983	34,342
Operating income	8,302	13,624
Total assets	12,939		13,257
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Americas [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	23,893	26,079
Operating income	17,595	19,456
Total assets	1,168,322		1,145,699
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Americas [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	10,663	9,111
Operating income	7,906	5,179
Operating Segments [Member] | Europe [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	18,856	15,502
Operating income	13,191	10,155
Total assets	1,634,170		1,604,393
Operating Segments [Member] | Europe [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	43,429	32,590
Operating income	32,171	20,594
Total assets	25,280		25,280
Operating Segments [Member] | Asia [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	10,523	10,686
Operating income	6,938	7,243
Total assets	905,369		1,081,876
Operating Segments [Member] | Asia [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	31,886	20,548
Operating income	22,132	10,620
Total assets	324		354
Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	532,197	468,057
General and administrative expenses	(78,032)	(69,689)
Depreciation and amortization expenses	(397,575)	(345,970)
Gains on dispositions of development properties and land, net	173,643	162,750
Gains on other dispositions of investments in real estate, net	16,623	31,491
Earnings from unconsolidated entities, net	67,049	88,730
Interest expense	(71,281)	(75,642)
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net	(187,453)	$ (42,767)
Total assets	9,648,656		9,635,123
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	7,514,840		7,602,014
Assets held for sale or contribution	1,055,751		1,070,724
Cash and cash equivalents	676,074		598,086
Other assets	$ 401,991		$ 364,299