Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 621,861,000	$ 246,455,000	$ 196,549,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation of buildings and tenant improvements	253,683,000	290,279,000	288,583,000
Amortization of deferred leasing and other costs	67,163,000	94,338,000	120,467,000
Amortization of deferred financing costs	6,997,000	9,786,000	12,968,000
Straight-line rental income and expense, net	(22,396,000)	(19,965,000)	(14,633,000)
Impairment charges	22,932,000	49,106,000	3,777,000
Loss on debt extinguishment	85,713,000	283,000	9,433,000
Gain on acquisitions	0	0	(962,000)
Gains on land and depreciated property sales	(689,647,000)	(195,920,000)	(201,968,000)
Third-party construction contracts, net	4,033,000	(17,231,000)	31,920,000
Other accrued revenues and expenses, net	3,755,000	47,718,000	21,706,000
Operating distributions received in excess of (less than) equity in earnings from unconsolidated companies	25,287,000	(60,362,000)	(32,164,000)
Net cash provided by operating activities	379,381,000	444,487,000	435,676,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Development of real estate investments	(370,466,000)	(446,722,000)	(427,355,000)
Acquisition of real estate investments and related intangible assets	(28,849,000)	(125,227,000)	(445,514,000)
Acquisition of undeveloped land	(39,881,000)	(68,156,000)	(76,655,000)
Second generation tenant improvements, leasing costs and building improvements	(61,900,000)	(98,821,000)	(91,798,000)
Other deferred leasing costs	(30,790,000)	(31,503,000)	(35,376,000)
Other assets	(19,083,000)	(9,996,000)	(30,161,000)
Proceeds from land and depreciated property sales, net	1,675,690,000	493,217,000	740,039,000
Capital distributions from unconsolidated companies	68,985,000	91,750,000	109,158,000
Capital contributions and advances to unconsolidated companies	(72,407,000)	(11,573,000)	(61,720,000)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	1,121,299,000	(207,031,000)	(319,382,000)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of common shares, net	4,530,000	289,122,000	649,690,000
Payments for redemption/repurchase of preferred shares	0	(446,592,000)	(177,955,000)
Proceeds from unsecured debt	0	300,000,000	750,000,000
Payments on unsecured debt	(913,143,000)	(2,092,000)	(685,022,000)
Proceeds from secured debt financings	0	0	1,933,000
Payments on secured indebtedness including principal amortization	(245,665,000)	(112,877,000)	(169,188,000)
Borrowings (payments) on lines of credit, net	(35,000,000)	18,000,000	(197,000,000)
Distributions to common shareholders	(238,114,000)	(228,227,000)	(220,297,000)
Distributions to common shareholders - special dividends	(69,055,000)	0	0
Distributions to preferred shareholders	0	(27,395,000)	(31,616,000)
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests, net	(2,754,000)	(2,791,000)	(8,944,000)
Buyout of noncontrolling interests	0	(7,803,000)	0
Change in book overdrafts	3,392,000	(4,696,000)	(32,823,000)
Deferred financing costs	(260,000)	(13,458,000)	(9,686,000)
Net cash used for financing activities	(1,496,069,000)	(238,809,000)	(130,908,000)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	4,611,000	(1,353,000)	(14,614,000)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	17,922,000	19,275,000	33,889,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	22,533,000	17,922,000	19,275,000
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Assumption of indebtedness and other liabilities in real estate acquisitions	0	355,000	107,992,000
Carrying amount of pre-existing ownership interest in acquired property	0	0	3,968,000
Mortgage notes receivable from buyers in property sales	204,336,000	0	0
Contribution of properties to, net of debt assumed by, unconsolidated companies	0	0	2,426,000
Conversion of Limited Partner Units to common shares	2,483,000	6,741,000	331,000
Duke Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	621,861,000	246,455,000	196,549,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation of buildings and tenant improvements	253,683,000	290,279,000	288,583,000
Amortization of deferred leasing and other costs	67,163,000	94,338,000	120,467,000
Amortization of deferred financing costs	6,997,000	9,786,000	12,968,000
Straight-line rental income and expense, net	(22,396,000)	(19,965,000)	(14,633,000)
Impairment charges	22,932,000	49,106,000	3,777,000
Loss on debt extinguishment	85,713,000	283,000	9,433,000
Gain on acquisitions	0	0	(962,000)
Gains on land and depreciated property sales	(689,647,000)	(195,920,000)	(201,968,000)
Third-party construction contracts, net	4,033,000	(17,231,000)	31,920,000
Other accrued revenues and expenses, net	3,575,000	47,654,000	21,783,000
Operating distributions received in excess of (less than) equity in earnings from unconsolidated companies	25,287,000	(60,362,000)	(32,164,000)
Net cash provided by operating activities	379,201,000	444,423,000	435,753,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Development of real estate investments	(370,466,000)	(446,722,000)	(427,355,000)
Acquisition of real estate investments and related intangible assets	(28,849,000)	(125,227,000)	(445,514,000)
Acquisition of undeveloped land	(39,881,000)	(68,156,000)	(76,655,000)
Second generation tenant improvements, leasing costs and building improvements	(61,900,000)	(98,821,000)	(91,798,000)
Other deferred leasing costs	(30,790,000)	(31,503,000)	(35,376,000)
Other assets	(19,083,000)	(9,996,000)	(30,161,000)
Proceeds from land and depreciated property sales, net	1,675,690,000	493,217,000	740,039,000
Capital distributions from unconsolidated companies	68,985,000	91,750,000	109,158,000
Capital contributions and advances to unconsolidated companies	(72,407,000)	(11,573,000)	(61,720,000)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	1,121,299,000	(207,031,000)	(319,382,000)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Contributions from the General Partner	4,710,000	289,122,000	649,690,000
Payments for redemption/repurchase of preferred shares	0	(446,592,000)	(177,955,000)
Proceeds from unsecured debt	0	300,000,000	750,000,000
Payments on unsecured debt	(913,143,000)	(2,092,000)	(685,022,000)
Proceeds from secured debt financings	0	0	1,933,000
Payments on secured indebtedness including principal amortization	(245,665,000)	(112,877,000)	(169,188,000)
Borrowings (payments) on lines of credit, net	(35,000,000)	18,000,000	(197,000,000)
Distributions to common shareholders	(241,292,000)	(231,112,000)	(223,362,000)
Distributions to common shareholders - special dividends	(69,055,000)	0	0
Distributions to preferred shareholders	0	(27,395,000)	(31,616,000)
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests, net	424,000	158,000	(5,956,000)
Buyout of noncontrolling interests	0	(7,803,000)	0
Change in book overdrafts	3,392,000	(4,696,000)	(32,823,000)
Deferred financing costs	(260,000)	(13,458,000)	(9,686,000)
Net cash used for financing activities	(1,495,889,000)	(238,745,000)	(130,985,000)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	4,611,000	(1,353,000)	(14,614,000)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	17,922,000	19,275,000	33,889,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	22,533,000	17,922,000	19,275,000
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Assumption of indebtedness and other liabilities in real estate acquisitions	0	355,000	107,992,000
Carrying amount of pre-existing ownership interest in acquired property	0	0	3,968,000
Mortgage notes receivable from buyers in property sales	204,336,000	0	0
Contribution of properties to, net of debt assumed by, unconsolidated companies	0	0	2,426,000
Conversion of Limited Partner Units to common shares	$ 2,483,000	$ 6,741,000	$ 331,000