Major Customers, Partnerships and Strategic Alliances - Revenues Recognized under Agreement (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Shire AG [Member]
Revenues related to Shire Collaboration :
Amortization of upfront fee	$ 2,167	$ 1,986
Research services	14,286	9,026
Total	16,453	11,012
Revenue related to Sigma Collaboration :
Royalty revenues	0
Sigma-Aldrich Corporation [Member]
Revenue related to Sigma Collaboration :
Royalty revenues	824	1,288	938
License fee and milestone revenues	1,351	1,000	671
Total	$ 2,175	$ 2,288	$ 1,609

Deferred upfront contract fee revenue.

No definition available.

Name:	sgmo_DeferredUpfrontContractFeeRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	sgmo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Research service revenue under collaboration agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sgmo_ResearchServiceRevenueUnderCollaborationAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	sgmo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revenue earned during the period arising from products sold or services provided under the terms of a contract, not elsewhere specified in the taxonomy. May include government contracts, construction contracts, and any other contract related to a particular project or product.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractsRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revenue earned during the period relating to consideration received from another party for the right to use, but not own, certain of the entity's intangible assets. Licensing arrangements include, but are not limited to, rights to use a patent, copyright, technology, manufacturing process, software or trademark. Licensing fees are generally, but not always, fixed as to amount and not dependent upon the revenue generated by the licensing party. An entity may receive licensing fees for licenses that also generate royalty payments to the entity.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LicensesRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue, fees and commissions earned from transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiaries; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) an entity and trusts for the benefit of employees, for example, but not limited to, pension and profit-sharing trusts that are managed by or under the trusteeship of the entity's management; (d) an entity and its principal, owners, management, or members of their immediate families; and (e) affiliates.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(e))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Related Parties

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=16382449

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 946

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.6-07.1(c))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6488393&loc=d3e606610-122999

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 07

-Paragraph b

-Subparagraph 1

-Article 6

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromRelatedParties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenuesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revenue earned during the period from the leasing or otherwise lending to a third party the entity's rights or title to certain property. Royalty revenue is derived from a percentage or stated amount of sales proceeds or revenue generated by the third party using the entity's property. Examples of property from which royalties may be derived include patents and oil and mineral rights.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RoyaltyRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNetAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration