Consolidated Statement of Capital and Noncontrolling Interests Statement - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	154,790,298	154,458,478
Cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle	$ (4,379,000)	$ 5,496,000	$ (2,035,000)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	(6,751,000)	(3,096,000)	(6,133,000)
Amortization of interest rate contracts	6,664,000	6,664,000	6,033,000
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in property partnership	(186,963,000)
Sale of an interest in property partnerships	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	35,816,000	46,701,000	52,009,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	$ (69,913,000)	$ (82,501,000)	$ (54,176,000)
General Partner [Member]
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	1,727,000	1,722,000	1,720,000	1,718,000
Contributions, units	3,000	1,000
Conversion of redeemable partnership units	2,000	1,000	2,000
Limited Partner [Member]
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding	153,063,000	152,736,000	152,606,000	152,072,000
Contributions, units	185,000	49,000	40,000
Conversion of redeemable partnership units	142,000	81,000	494,000
Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest, Equity, Preferred, Carrying Amount	$ 2,468,753,000	$ 2,000,591,000
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	35,816,000	46,701,000	$ 52,009,000
Partners' Capital General and Limited Partners) [Member]
Beginning Balance	3,380,175,000	4,054,996,000	3,664,436,000	$ 3,670,345,000
Cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle	(3,864,000)	4,933,000	(272,000)
Contributions, value	17,115,000	1,642,000	4,937,000
Allocated net income for the period	520,757,000	590,096,000	460,656,000
Distributions	(592,159,000)	(540,471,000)	(470,316,000)
Unearned compensation	(7,655,000)	884,000	(243,000)
Conversion of redeemable partnership units, value	4,885,000	2,880,000	16,916,000
Adjustment to reflect redeemable partnership units at redemption value	(447,222,000)	330,596,000	(17,587,000)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in property partnership	(162,462,000)
Sale of an interest in property partnerships	(4,216,000)
Preferred Units [Member]
Beginning Balance	193,623,000	193,623,000	193,623,000	193,623,000
Allocated net income for the period	10,500,000	10,500,000	10,500,000
Distributions	(10,500,000)	(10,500,000)	(10,500,000)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]
Beginning Balance	(48,335,000)	(47,741,000)	(50,429,000)	(52,251,000)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	(6,060,000)	(2,781,000)	(3,305,000)
Amortization of interest rate contracts	5,466,000	5,469,000	5,127,000
Noncontrolling interest - property partnerships [Member]
Beginning Balance	1,728,689,000	1,711,445,000	1,683,760,000	1,530,647,000
Cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle	(70,000)
Allocated net income for the period	71,120,000	62,909,000	47,832,000
Effective portion of interest rate contracts			(2,453,000)
Amortization of interest rate contracts	576,000	576,000	325,000
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in property partnership	(24,501,000)
Sale of an interest in property partnerships	4,216,000
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	35,816,000	46,701,000	161,585,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(69,913,000)	(82,501,000)	(54,176,000)
Total Capital [Member]
Beginning Balance	5,254,152,000	5,912,323,000	5,491,390,000	5,342,364,000
Cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle	(3,934,000)	4,933,000	(272,000)
Contributions, value	17,115,000	1,642,000	4,937,000
Allocated net income for the period	602,377,000	663,505,000	518,988,000
Distributions	(602,659,000)	(550,971,000)	(480,816,000)
Unearned compensation	(7,655,000)	884,000	(243,000)
Conversion of redeemable partnership units, value	4,885,000	2,880,000	16,916,000
Adjustment to reflect redeemable partnership units at redemption value	(447,222,000)	330,596,000	(17,587,000)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	(6,060,000)	(2,781,000)	(5,758,000)
Amortization of interest rate contracts	6,042,000	6,045,000	5,452,000
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in property partnership	(186,963,000)
Sale of an interest in property partnerships	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	35,816,000	46,701,000	161,585,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(69,913,000)	(82,501,000)	(54,176,000)
Noncontrolling interest - Redeemable partnership units [Member]
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest, Equity, Preferred, Carrying Amount	2,468,753,000	2,000,591,000	2,292,263,000	$ 2,262,040,000
Cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle	(445,000)	563,000	(1,763,000)
Contributions, value	34,217,000	34,680,000	31,743,000
Allocated net income for the period	59,345,000	66,807,000	52,210,000
Distributions	(69,234,000)	(62,731,000)	(54,494,000)
Unearned compensation	2,011,000	2,181,000	1,650,000
Conversion of redeemable partnership units, value	(4,885,000)	(2,880,000)	(16,916,000)
Adjustment to reflect redeemable partnership units at redemption value	447,222,000	(330,596,000)	17,587,000
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	(691,000)	(315,000)	(375,000)
Amortization of interest rate contracts	$ 622,000	$ 619,000	$ 581,000