Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenues:
Rental and related revenue	$ 686,514,000	$ 641,701,000	$ 658,809,000
General contractor and service fee revenue	94,420,000	88,810,000	133,367,000
Revenues, Total	780,934,000	730,511,000	792,176,000
Expenses:
Rental expenses	64,582,000	74,323,000	93,422,000
Real estate taxes	108,964,000	98,938,000	95,705,000
General contractor and other services expenses	89,457,000	80,467,000	119,170,000
Depreciation and amortization	273,561,000	242,557,000	245,764,000
Costs and expenses, total	536,564,000	496,285,000	554,061,000
Other Operating Activities
Equity in earnings (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	63,310,000	47,403,000	(3,304,000)
Gain on dissolution of unconsolidated joint venture	0	30,697,000	0
Promote income	20,007,000	26,299,000	0
Gain on sale of properties	113,669,000	162,093,000	229,702,000
Gain on land sales	9,244,000	9,865,000	35,054,000
Other operating expenses	(2,554,000)	(3,864,000)	(5,947,000)
Impairment charges	(4,481,000)	(18,018,000)	(22,932,000)
General and administrative expenses	(54,944,000)	(55,389,000)	(58,565,000)
Other operating activities, net	144,251,000	199,086,000	174,008,000
Operating income	388,621,000	433,312,000	412,123,000
Other income (expenses):
Interest and other income, net	14,721,000	4,035,000	4,667,000
Interest expense	(87,003,000)	(112,757,000)	(138,258,000)
Loss on debt extinguishment	(26,104,000)	(33,934,000)	(85,713,000)
Acquisition-related activity	0	7,176,000	(8,499,000)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	290,235,000	297,832,000	184,320,000
Income tax benefit	357,000	589,000	3,928,000
Income from continuing operations	290,592,000	298,421,000	188,248,000
Discontinued operations:
Income before gain on sales and income taxes	18,436,000	15,841,000	11,896,000
Gain on sale of depreciable properties	1,357,778,000	1,016,000	424,892,000
Income tax expense	(12,465,000)	0	(3,175,000)
Income from discontinued operations	1,363,749,000	16,857,000	433,613,000
Net income	1,654,341,000	315,278,000	621,861,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(19,910,000)	(3,135,000)	(6,551,000)
Net income attributable to common shareholders	$ 1,634,431,000	$ 312,143,000	$ 615,310,000
Basic net income per common share:
Continuing operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	$ 0.80	$ 0.84	$ 0.53
Discontinued operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	3.78	0.05	1.24
Total	4.58	0.89	1.77
Diluted net income per common share:
Continuing operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	0.80	0.84	0.53
Discontinued operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	3.76	0.04	1.24
Total	$ 4.56	$ 0.88	$ 1.77
Weighted average number of common shares/units outstanding	355,762	349,942	345,057
Weighted average number of common shares/units and potential dilutive securities	362,011	357,076	352,197
Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Net income	$ 1,654,341,000	$ 315,278,000	$ 621,861,000
Other comprehensive loss:
Amortization of interest contracts	(682,000)	(1,101,000)	(1,125,000)
Other	0	(23,000)	(95,000)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(682,000)	(1,124,000)	(1,220,000)
Comprehensive income	1,653,659,000	314,154,000	620,641,000
Duke Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Revenues:
Rental and related revenue	686,514,000	641,701,000	658,809,000
General contractor and service fee revenue	94,420,000	88,810,000	133,367,000
Revenues, Total	780,934,000	730,511,000	792,176,000
Expenses:
Rental expenses	64,582,000	74,323,000	93,422,000
Real estate taxes	108,964,000	98,938,000	95,705,000
General contractor and other services expenses	89,457,000	80,467,000	119,170,000
Depreciation and amortization	273,561,000	242,557,000	245,764,000
Costs and expenses, total	536,564,000	496,285,000	554,061,000
Other Operating Activities
Equity in earnings (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures	63,310,000	47,403,000	(3,304,000)
Gain on dissolution of unconsolidated joint venture	0	30,697,000	0
Promote income	20,007,000	26,299,000	0
Gain on sale of properties	113,669,000	162,093,000	229,702,000
Gain on land sales	9,244,000	9,865,000	35,054,000
Other operating expenses	(2,554,000)	(3,864,000)	(5,947,000)
Impairment charges	(4,481,000)	(18,018,000)	(22,932,000)
General and administrative expenses	(54,944,000)	(55,389,000)	(58,565,000)
Other operating activities, net	144,251,000	199,086,000	174,008,000
Operating income	388,621,000	433,312,000	412,123,000
Other income (expenses):
Interest and other income, net	14,721,000	4,035,000	4,667,000
Interest expense	(87,003,000)	(112,757,000)	(138,258,000)
Loss on debt extinguishment	(26,104,000)	(33,934,000)	(85,713,000)
Acquisition-related activity	0	7,176,000	(8,499,000)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	290,235,000	297,832,000	184,320,000
Income tax benefit	357,000	589,000	3,928,000
Income from continuing operations	290,592,000	298,421,000	188,248,000
Discontinued operations:
Income before gain on sales and income taxes	18,436,000	15,841,000	11,896,000
Gain on sale of depreciable properties	1,357,778,000	1,016,000	424,892,000
Income tax expense	(12,465,000)	0	(3,175,000)
Income from discontinued operations	1,363,749,000	16,857,000	433,613,000
Net income	1,654,341,000	315,278,000	621,861,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4,734,000)	(46,000)	(147,000)
Net income attributable to common shareholders	$ 1,649,607,000	$ 315,232,000	$ 621,714,000
Basic net income per common share:
Continuing operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	$ 0.80	$ 0.84	$ 0.53
Discontinued operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	3.78	0.05	1.24
Total	4.58	0.89	1.77
Diluted net income per common share:
Continuing operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	0.80	0.84	0.53
Discontinued operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	3.76	0.04	1.24
Total	$ 4.56	$ 0.88	$ 1.77
Weighted average number of common shares/units outstanding	359,065	353,423	348,639
Weighted average number of common shares/units and potential dilutive securities	362,011	357,076	352,197
Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Net income	$ 1,654,341,000	$ 315,278,000	$ 621,861,000
Other comprehensive loss:
Amortization of interest contracts	(682,000)	(1,101,000)	(1,125,000)
Other	0	(23,000)	(95,000)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(682,000)	(1,124,000)	(1,220,000)
Comprehensive income	$ 1,653,659,000	$ 314,154,000	$ 620,641,000