Business Segments - Segment Reporting, Reconciliation of Revenues, Operating Income and Assets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 978,241	$ 772,052
Operating income	468,057	376,590
General and administrative expenses	69,689	69,701
Depreciation and amortization expenses	345,970	284,009
Gains on dispositions of development properties and land, net	162,750	42,441
Gains on other dispositions of investments in real estate, net	31,491	145,767
Earnings from unconsolidated entities, net	88,730	56,666
Interest expense	(75,642)	(60,507)
Interest and other income, net	370	7,910
Foreign currency and derivative gains, net	113,329	8,734
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net	(42,767)	(2,116)
Earnings before income taxes	552,077	387,277
Total assets	55,007,247		$ 40,031,850
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	6,834,758		6,237,371
Assets held for sale or contribution	1,975,524		720,685
Lease right-of-use assets	510,191		486,330
Cash and cash equivalents	807,871	251,030	1,088,855	$ 343,856
Other assets	2,428,955		1,711,857
Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	44,954,528		31,590,756
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	689,475	542,092
Total assets	44,994,372		31,630,924
Operating Segments [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	881,650	698,247
Operating income	639,458	506,345
Operating Segments [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	96,591	73,805
Operating income	50,017	35,747
Total assets	39,844		40,168
Operating Segments [Member] | U.S. [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	829,383	651,869
Operating income	602,604	471,076
Total assets	41,487,331		27,999,868
Operating Segments [Member] | U.S. [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	34,342	20,268
Operating income	13,624	3,327
Total assets	14,211		14,529
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Americas [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	26,079	23,865
Operating income	19,456	19,053
Total assets	1,286,433		1,332,237
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Americas [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	9,111	7,900
Operating income	5,179	5,422
Operating Segments [Member] | Europe [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	15,502	8,557
Operating income	10,155	5,544
Total assets	1,474,343		1,379,579
Operating Segments [Member] | Europe [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	32,590	28,838
Operating income	20,594	19,151
Total assets	25,280		25,280
Operating Segments [Member] | Asia [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	10,686	13,956
Operating income	7,243	10,672
Total assets	706,421		879,072
Operating Segments [Member] | Asia [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	20,548	16,799
Operating income	10,620	7,847
Total assets	353		359
Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	468,057	376,590
General and administrative expenses	(69,689)	(69,701)
Depreciation and amortization expenses	(345,970)	(284,009)
Gains on dispositions of development properties and land, net	162,750	42,441
Gains on other dispositions of investments in real estate, net	31,491	145,767
Earnings from unconsolidated entities, net	88,730	56,666
Interest expense	(75,642)	(60,507)
Interest and other income, net	370	7,910
Foreign currency and derivative gains, net	113,329	8,734
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net	(42,767)	$ (2,116)
Total assets	10,012,875		8,400,926
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	6,834,758		6,237,371
Assets held for sale or contribution	1,975,524		720,685
Lease right-of-use assets	115,270		111,439
Cash and cash equivalents	807,871		1,088,855
Other assets	$ 279,452		$ 242,576