Supplemental Cash Flow Information - Summary of Supplemental (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2018 joint_venture	Dec. 31, 2018 joint_venture	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Supplemental cash flow information:
Interest paid, net of capitalized interest			$ 275,690	$ 309,111	$ 489,453
Income taxes paid			4,480	10,045	13,727
Capitalized interest			21,056	16,937	11,108
Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Accrued construction costs			88,826	67,425	49,999
Non-cash impact of QCP Spin-Off, net			0	0	3,539,584
Securities transferred for debt defeasance			0	0	73,278
Retained equity method investment from U.K. JV transaction			104,922	0	0
Derecognition of U.K. Bridge Loan receivable			147,474	0	0
Consolidation of net assets related to U.K. Bridge Loan			106,457	0	0
Vesting of restricted stock units and conversion of non-managing member units into common stock			537	2,908	6,622
Net noncash impact from the consolidation of previously unconsolidated joint ventures (see Note 4)			68,293	0	0
Deconsolidation of noncontrolling interest in connection with RIDEA II transaction			0	58,061	0
Mortgages and other liabilities assumed with real estate acquisitions			$ 8,457	$ 5,425	$ 82,985
Life Science JVs
Real Estate [Line Items]
Number of joint ventures | joint_venture	3	3