Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Revenues:
Rental and related revenue	$ 785,319,000	$ 686,514,000	$ 641,701,000
General contractor and service fee revenue	162,551,000	94,420,000	88,810,000
Revenues, Total	947,870,000	780,934,000	730,511,000
Expenses:
Rental expenses	73,075,000	64,582,000	74,323,000
Real estate taxes	125,269,000	108,964,000	98,938,000
General contractor and other services expenses	153,909,000	89,457,000	80,467,000
Depreciation and amortization	312,217,000	273,561,000	242,557,000
Costs and expenses, total	664,470,000	536,564,000	496,285,000
Other Operating Activities
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	21,444,000	63,310,000	47,403,000
Gain on dissolution of unconsolidated joint venture	0	0	30,697,000
Promote income	0	20,007,000	26,299,000
Gain on sale of properties	204,988,000	113,669,000	162,093,000
Gain on land sales	10,334,000	9,244,000	9,865,000
Other operating expenses	(3,592,000)	(2,554,000)	(3,864,000)
Impairment charges	0	(4,481,000)	(18,018,000)
General and administrative expenses	(56,218,000)	(54,944,000)	(55,389,000)
Other operating activities, net	176,956,000	144,251,000	199,086,000
Operating income	460,356,000	388,621,000	433,312,000
Other income (expenses):
Interest and other income, net	17,234,000	14,721,000	4,035,000
Interest expense	(85,006,000)	(87,003,000)	(112,757,000)
Loss on debt extinguishment	(388,000)	(26,104,000)	(33,934,000)
Acquisition-related activity	0	0	7,176,000
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	392,196,000	290,235,000	297,832,000
Income tax benefit	(8,828,000)	357,000	589,000
Income from continuing operations	383,368,000	290,592,000	298,421,000
Discontinued operations:
Income before gain on sales and income taxes	108,000	18,436,000	15,841,000
Gain on sale of depreciable properties	3,792,000	1,357,778,000	1,016,000
Income tax expense	0	(12,465,000)	0
Income from discontinued operations	3,900,000	1,363,749,000	16,857,000
Net income	387,268,000	1,654,341,000	315,278,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(3,539,000)	(19,910,000)	(3,135,000)
Net income attributable to common shareholders	$ 383,729,000	$ 1,634,431,000	$ 312,143,000
Basic net income per common share:
Continuing operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	$ 1.06	$ 0.80	$ 0.84
Discontinued operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	0.01	3.78	0.05
Total	1.07	4.58	0.89
Diluted net income per common share:
Continuing operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	1.06	0.80	0.84
Discontinued operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	0.01	3.76	0.04
Total	$ 1.07	$ 4.56	$ 0.88
Weighted average number of common shares/units outstanding	357,569	355,762	349,942
Weighted average number of common shares/units and potential dilutive securities	363,297	362,011	357,076
Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Net income	$ 387,268,000	$ 1,654,341,000	$ 315,278,000
Other comprehensive loss:
Unrealized losses on interest rate swap contracts	(4,676,000)	0	0
Amortization of interest contracts	0	(682,000)	(1,101,000)
Other	0	0	(23,000)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(4,676,000)	(682,000)	(1,124,000)
Comprehensive income	382,592,000	1,653,659,000	314,154,000
Duke Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Revenues:
Rental and related revenue	785,319,000	686,514,000	641,701,000
General contractor and service fee revenue	162,551,000	94,420,000	88,810,000
Revenues, Total	947,870,000	780,934,000	730,511,000
Expenses:
Rental expenses	73,075,000	64,582,000	74,323,000
Real estate taxes	125,269,000	108,964,000	98,938,000
General contractor and other services expenses	153,909,000	89,457,000	80,467,000
Depreciation and amortization	312,217,000	273,561,000	242,557,000
Costs and expenses, total	664,470,000	536,564,000	496,285,000
Other Operating Activities
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	21,444,000	63,310,000	47,403,000
Gain on dissolution of unconsolidated joint venture	0	0	30,697,000
Promote income	0	20,007,000	26,299,000
Gain on sale of properties	204,988,000	113,669,000	162,093,000
Gain on land sales	10,334,000	9,244,000	9,865,000
Other operating expenses	(3,592,000)	(2,554,000)	(3,864,000)
Impairment charges	0	(4,481,000)	(18,018,000)
General and administrative expenses	(56,218,000)	(54,944,000)	(55,389,000)
Other operating activities, net	176,956,000	144,251,000	199,086,000
Operating income	460,356,000	388,621,000	433,312,000
Other income (expenses):
Interest and other income, net	17,234,000	14,721,000	4,035,000
Interest expense	(85,006,000)	(87,003,000)	(112,757,000)
Loss on debt extinguishment	(388,000)	(26,104,000)	(33,934,000)
Acquisition-related activity	0	0	7,176,000
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	392,196,000	290,235,000	297,832,000
Income tax benefit	(8,828,000)	357,000	589,000
Income from continuing operations	383,368,000	290,592,000	298,421,000
Discontinued operations:
Income before gain on sales and income taxes	108,000	18,436,000	15,841,000
Gain on sale of depreciable properties	3,792,000	1,357,778,000	1,016,000
Income tax expense	0	(12,465,000)	0
Income from discontinued operations	3,900,000	1,363,749,000	16,857,000
Net income	387,268,000	1,654,341,000	315,278,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(11,000)	(4,734,000)	(46,000)
Net income attributable to common shareholders	$ 387,257,000	$ 1,649,607,000	$ 315,232,000
Basic net income per common share:
Continuing operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	$ 1.06	$ 0.80	$ 0.84
Discontinued operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	0.01	3.78	0.05
Total	1.07	4.58	0.89
Diluted net income per common share:
Continuing operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	1.06	0.80	0.84
Discontinued operations attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	0.01	3.76	0.04
Total	$ 1.07	$ 4.56	$ 0.88
Weighted average number of common shares/units outstanding	360,859	359,065	353,423
Weighted average number of common shares/units and potential dilutive securities	363,297	362,011	357,076
Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Net income	$ 387,268,000	$ 1,654,341,000	$ 315,278,000
Other comprehensive loss:
Unrealized losses on interest rate swap contracts	(4,676,000)	0
Amortization of interest contracts	0	(682,000)	(1,101,000)
Other	0	0	(23,000)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(4,676,000)	(682,000)	(1,124,000)
Comprehensive income	$ 382,592,000	$ 1,653,659,000	$ 314,154,000