  Having a broad range of methods available for implementing unitary operations
is crucial for quantum information tasks. We study a dissipative process
commonly used to describe dissipatively coupled systems and show that the
process can lead to pure unitary dynamics on one part of a bipartite system,
provided that the process is strong enough. If suitably engineered, the process
allows to implement generic unitary operations. In fact, we show within the
framework of quantum control theory that the dissipative process can turn the
system of interest into a system capable of universal quantum information task.
We characterize the time scales necessary to implement gates with high fidelity
through the dissipative evolution. The considered dissipative evolution is of
particular importance since it can be engineered in the laboratory in the realm
of superconducting circuits. Based on a reservoir that is formed by a lossy
microwave mode we present a detailed study of how our theoretical findings can
be realized in an experimental setting.
