Earnings Per Share / Common Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Basic Earnings:
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders	$ 97,083	$ 181,747
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders (in shares / units)	153,860,000	153,626,000
Net income (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 0.63	$ 1.18
Allocation of undistributed earnings to participating securities (numerator)		$ (247)
Allocation of undistributed earnings to participating securities (in shares / units)		0
Allocation of undistributed earnings to participating securities (in dollars per shares / units)		$ 0
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders		$ 181,500
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders (in shares / units)		153,626,000
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders (in dollars per share / unit)		$ 1.18
Effect of Dilutive Securities:
Stock Based Compensation, Income (Numerator)	$ 0	$ 0
Stock Based Compensation, Shares / Units (Denominator)	354,000	291,000
Stock Based Compensation, Per Share / Unit Amount (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Diluted Earnings:
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders (Numerator)	$ 97,083	$ 181,500
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders (in shares / units) (Denominator)	154,214,000	153,917,000
Diluted Earnings: Net income, Per Share Amount (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 0.63	$ 1.18
Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Entity Information [Line Items]
Redeemable Common Units	17,721,000	17,683,000
Basic Earnings:
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders	$ 110,662	$ 207,296
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders (in shares / units)	171,581,000	171,309,000
Net income (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 0.64	$ 1.21
Allocation of undistributed earnings to participating securities (numerator)		$ (275)
Allocation of undistributed earnings to participating securities (in shares / units)		0
Allocation of undistributed earnings to participating securities (in dollars per shares / units)		$ 0
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders		$ 207,021
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders (in shares / units)		171,309,000
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders (in dollars per share / unit)		$ 1.21
Effect of Dilutive Securities:
Stock Based Compensation, Income (Numerator)	$ 0	$ 0
Stock Based Compensation, Shares / Units (Denominator)	354,000	291,000
Stock Based Compensation, Per Share / Unit Amount (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Diluted Earnings:
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders (Numerator)	$ 110,662	$ 207,021
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders (in shares / units) (Denominator)	171,935,000	171,600,000
Diluted Earnings: Net income, Per Share Amount (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 0.64	$ 1.21